


The Oncoming Storm

by AngelDesaray



Series: Of Love and War [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Battle, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Death, Declarations Of Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Force Visions, Friendship/Love, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Injury Recovery, Loss of Limbs, Love Triangles, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Non-Graphic Violence, Permanent Injury, Prophetic Visions, Romance, Serious Injuries, To Be Edited, Unrequited Love, Violence, Visions, Visions in dreams, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 02:52:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 54,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14071329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelDesaray/pseuds/AngelDesaray
Summary: It's been 10 years. Zelina and Anakin's lives have changed drastically from slave children to Jedi Padawans, but unbeknownst to them, it is only the beginning. Their common friend Padme Amidala's life is at risk, and both of them have been assigned to protect her during this tumultuous time in the Republic. What great change could fate have in store for them now?





	1. Reunions

"Patience Padawan! How many times must we go over this?"

Zelina Du'ahn sighed, her shoulder's drooping a little as she prepared herself for another reciting of one of her Master's many lessons. "I'm sorry Master, I'm just tired of being cooped up in the Temple."

Master Ur-Sema Du shook her head, a few strands of her brown hair falling out of her permanent bun to fall in her face. "A Jedi does not seek adventure Zelina, you should know this by now."

"I do know Master, I'm sorry, it's just that sometimes I can't help it, I want something to happen, I get bored…" she said sheepishly.

Ur-Sema sighed. "You are still the energetic little girl I met ten years ago Zelina, and I'm beginning to think that will never change."

Ur-Sema was right. It had been ten years since she had been set free by Qui-Gon. Not a day went by she wasn't grateful to the deceased Jedi for her freedom. She was sixteen now, almost seventeen. Her blonde hair had darkened just a little, and had grown longer. She'd grown taller: she was just slightly shorter than Anakin.

Speaking of Anakin…

He was nineteen now, his hair had darkened some like hers, and now he stood a full head taller than Obi-Wan. Just as Obi-Wan had promised, she had seen both of them a lot more than she had thought she would. Though recently, she hadn't seen them at all really. It had been a while, seeing as Obi-Wan and Anakin seemed to always be on a mission when Zelina and her Master were taking a break, and vice versa. She was dying to see them both…though mostly Anakin.

"Zelina."

"Hmm?" Zelina asked, snapping back to reality.

Ur-Sema smiled a little. Despite the fact she could be brisk and reprimanding sometimes, she was very kind and understanding in the long run. Zelina knew she was lucky to have her as her Master. "Still getting lost in your thoughts, are you Zelina?"

Zelina blushed. "Sorry Master."

Ur-Sema shook her head. "I received a mission from the Council: I'm going to be meeting with a pirate informant on Christophsis."

"Oh, some pirate action, interesting," Zelina said as the entered the Jedi Temple hanger. When she was younger, the sights of the Temple took her breath away. Some sights still did, but others she had grown used to, like the Jedi Hanger. She'd just been in here too many times by now.

Ur-Sema laughed a little. "I guess that's one way to look at it, yes."

Ur-Sema stopped by her green Jedi Interceptor, leaning on the wing. Zelina frowned, confused. "Master…when you say that you've received a mission from the Council…"

"I mean that only I am going. You are staying here young Padawan."

Zelina visibly wilted. She'd been hoping to get out of the Temple for the first time in weeks. "Oh…"

Ur-Sema smiled, putting a hand on Zelina's shoulder in comfort. "Chin up young one, you didn't let me finish."

Zelina looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

Ur-Sema's smile grew. "I put in a word for you with the Council, and you're going on a separate mission."

"On my own?" Zelina asked, suddenly excited.

Ur-Sema laughed. "No, no, not on your own young one. You're going to be helping protect an old friend of yours from Naboo."

"Padme?" Zelina asked, her excitement growing.

Ur-Sema nodded. "Yes…there is apparently someone trying to assassinate Senator Amidala, and the Chancellor has requested that she receives Jedi protection."

Zelina visibly blanched, and Ur-Sema chuckled. "Yes Zelina, I am aware that you do not like the current Chancellor, but there's not much you can do about it."

"Still…" Zelina muttered. Anakin might like him, but he creped Zelina out. She got very bad vibes from Palpatine, and she still hadn't forgotten the vision she'd had when she'd first met him.

"You also are going to be on this mission with two old friends…"

Zelina felt her heart soar, and was convinced she actually rose off the ground from her elation. "Obi-Wan and Anakin?"

Ur-Sema simply grinned in confirmation. "They arrived back from their mission to Ansion with Master Luminara and Padawan Offee this morning. I would have thought you sensed it my young apprentice. I'm disappointed."

"I wasn't looking for them today!" Zelina said, stretching her senses out all over the Temple as far as they could go to see if she could find Anakin and Obi-Wan. She lit up like a lightsaber when she located Anakin's familiar luminous light, feeling warmth and happiness flow through her. He was with Obi-Wan in the Council Room, a fact that frustrated Zelina because she knew that meant she would have to wait until the Council were done briefing the two.

Ur-Sema laughed. "Well Padawan, I believe you would like to go see your friends now, and I must be going myself."

Zelina nodded and bowed deeply. "Thank you Master. Truly. May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you too young one. Now stay out of trouble, and keep Skywalker in line for Master Kenobi."

"Of course Master," Zelina said with a grin.

She stepped back, waving as Ur-Sema got situated in the Interceptor. She stayed where she was as her Master lifted off the ground and exited the hanger, only turning away when she could no longer see the Interceptor from where she stood.

Now she needed to go and find Anakin. He'd be wondering why it took her so long to show up.

Zelina made her way swiftly through the halls of the Jedi Temple, her dark grey nearly black robe fanning out behind her. When she'd been given the choice of her color, she'd picked the greys, wanting to be a little different than from what Anakin wore. She liked the same thing as him apparel wise, but she'd picked different colors ranging from black robes to dark grey boots. She liked the colors. Some members of the Jedi Order disapproved, disliking the color and taking it as a reference to the Gray Jedi (The Jedi that walked the line between light and dark or the Jedi who distanced themselves from the Jedi High Council and operated outside of the Jedi Code), but she didn't care. She hadn't picked the colors because of her views, she'd picked the colors because they seemed to suit her.

She hadn't even gotten to the Council Room yet when she spotted the two. A grin broke out over her face as she met them halfway down one of the hallways.

"Obi-Wan!" she exclaimed happily, giving him a hug before he could possibly duck away. Obi-Wan chuckled, returning the hug. She pulled away, probably grinning like a fool as she threw her arms around Anakin. "And Ani, or course," she said warmly, hugging him tightly.

"It's good to see you too Zelina," Obi-Wan said with a light laugh.

"Yes, it is good to see you again Zee," Anakin said softly in her ear before she pulled away, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She still had yet to pin her hair up in a messy bun or a braid, anything to keep her hair out of her face really.

Zelina took in their appearance, sizing them up. Obi-Wan's beard—which Zelina was still trying to decide if she liked on him or not—was a little shaggy, though every other hair was perfectly in place, as usual with him, though it looked like his robes were starting to wear. His greyish blue eyes twinkled at the moment with joy, which immediately put her in a better mood. If Obi-Wan was happy, everyone was happy.

Anakin was making scruffy look good, as normal, his dark brown and black Jedi clothes finally seeming in place next to Zelina's own dark colored Jedi clothes. He seemed to have a permanent smirk, his bright blue eyes sparkling mischievously. It was nice to see her friend relaxed and smiling, not tense and scowling over something that had recently happened. He needed to smile more: his smile could light up the room.

"So, how was Ansion?" Zelina asked, looking between the two.

"Oh, the normal," Obi-Wan said vaguely.

Zelina gave Anakin a teasing look. "Anakin, did you cause that much trouble again?"

Anakin held his hands up in defense. "Hey, don't look at me, it wasn't my fault!"

Zelina laughed. "Well was your mission at least a success, more or less?"

"Yes, it was; we were able to convince them not to join the Confederacy, so Ansion is still in the Republic," Obi-Wan said formally.

"That's good," Zelina said absentmindedly. "You'll have to tell me the stories later. I hear that we're all three being assigned on the same mission."

Anakin visibly brightened at the reminder. "Yeah, we're supposed to protect Senator Amidala."

"It's like we're all having a little reunion of sorts, isn't it?" Zelina asked with a bright smile.

Anakin chuckled. "Yes, I guess so."

Zelina smiled at him. "Well I'm glad you're both doing fine."

"I trust things are going well between you and Master Du?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Of course! Things couldn't be better! She's headed to Christophsis on a mission right now, so she's going to be gone a few days. By the way," she said suddenly, turning to Anakin. "Don't think I've forgotten that you turned twenty yesterday. How does it feel to finally be out of your teens? You have to tell me, I want to know," she said with a small laugh.

Anakin laughed as well with a little bit of embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess it's nice…just another year really."

Zelina rolled her eyes, nudging his arm. "Well, you can't say I forgot about it, so there."

He chuckled again. "I don't think you've ever let me forget my birthday Zee," he pointed out.

"Of course not," she said innocently. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in amusement.

"Alright you two, can we focus on the mission at hand?" he asked pointedly.

"Yes, of course Obi-Wan, sorry," Zelina said politely, turning her attention to him to listen to his detailed explanation of what was happening with Padme.

Her anxiety for the woman developed and grew was she listened to Obi-Wan explain how her ship had been bombed as she'd arrived in Coruscant. She didn't miss, however, that he stressed that they were only to protect Padme, not launch an investigation into the matter. He gave most of the brief lecture on the way to Padme's apartment, though half of it was a lecture for Anakin, which Zelina tuned out as she watched Coruscant roll by. When they arrived, Anakin tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

"Wake up sleepyhead, we're here," he teased her. Zelina chuckled a little and wacked him on the arm, successfully getting a laugh out of him before she got up and followed them off of the shuttle they had taken. Obi-Wan lead the way, Anakin and Zelina hanging back to chat a little more.

"So how's your training going?" she asked him quietly.

"Uhg, terrible. Obi-Wan can be very overbearing some days, and sometimes he doesn't even give me the chance to voice my opinion. And I'm ready for the Jedi Trials, but he won't let me move forward. It's driving me insane! I'm ready, I really am, but for some reason he doesn't see that…" Anakin ranted softly.

I sighed a little. "Well it's not going to be perfect. And truthfully Ani, some days you're a little cocky and you overestimate yourself. Just pace yourself, I'm sure Obi-Wan knows what he's doing," Zelina reassured him.

"Yeah right. If he knew what he was doing he'd let me move on," Anakin grumbled.

Zelina glanced at him. "You really feel strongly about it, don't you?"

"You have no idea," Anakin told her before they filed into the elevator. Obi-Wan's presence ended the conversation there, allowing Zelina time to mull over what Anakin had told her.

As the elevator ascended upward, Anakin started fidgeting, fixing his appearance over and over, straightening his robes and tunic, and shuffling from foot to foot. His tension was thick in the air, and obvious through the Force.

Obi-Wan was the one to speak up about it. "You seem a little on edge…"

"That's an understatement," Zelina muttered under her breath.

"Not at all," Anakin said defensively, making an obvious effort to stand still now that he knew his nervousness had been noticed by them.

"I haven't felt you this tense since we fell into that nest of gundarks," Obi-Wan said matter-of-fact like, not giving up on the subject. They all knew why he was restless of course.

Anakin laughed a little. "You fell into that _nightmare_ Master, and I _rescued_ you, remember?" Anakin asked pointedly, shaking his head a little as he turned away again.

"Oh…yes…" Obi-Wan said, before he started chuckling. Zelina smiled as well, and soon they were all sharing a laugh. Obi-Wan's laugh was infectious like that.

"You're sweating: relax," Obi-Wan advised Anakin, though it had an undercurrent of assurance in it. "Take a deep breath."

Anakin smiled at him a little, his nervous excitement showing through. "I haven't seen her in ten years Master…"

Obi-Wan simply smiled and shook his head, though Anakin's smile slowly faded as he stared nervously at the door. Zelina leaned against the elevators wall, watching him contemplatively. Apparently after all of these years, Anakin still had a thing for Padme…perhaps even more so than when we were kids. She sighed quietly, gaining a look from Obi-Wan as she shook her head and looked away.

When the doors opened, Zelina heard a voice she immediately connected to annoying clumsiness, though she would never say that out loud.

"Obi? Zeleena? Ani! Meesa so smiley to see you!"

Obi-Wan, thankfully, was in front and got the brunt of Jar Jar's enthusiastic welcome, having his arm practically shaken off. Zelina stayed behind Anakin to try and avoid Jar Jar, trying to be discreet about it so she wouldn't appear rude or mean.

"It's good to see you again Jar Jar," Obi-Wan said.

Jar Jar lead them into the living room, announcing their arrival. Zelina pulled up beside Anakin while Obi-Wan took the lead.

"Lookee Lookee Senator: Thesa Jedi alright," Jar Jar said. As Padme approached, Zelina sized her up, having not seen her just as long as Anakin.

She had grown, that was for sure. She was no longer the fourteen year old they'd once known. She seemed more sophisticated, and seemed to hold herself higher and with more dignity. Her hair was pulled back in some extravagant contraption, and she wore deep blue colors that Zelina thought complimented her rather well.

Padme grinned as her eyes fell on them, and Obi-Wan bowed deeply and respectfully. "It's a great pleasure to see you again my lady," Obi-Wan said, holding out his hand for Padme to shake.

"It has been far too long Master Kenobi," Padme said softly. She turned to take in Obi-Wan's accompaniment, and her eyes got a little wide. "Ani? My goodness, you've grown!"

Anakin smirked and stepped to the front of their little group. "So have you…grown more beautiful I mean…" he seemed to catch himself and tried to backpedal as Obi-Wan got a flash of an exasperated look on his face. "Well…for a Senator I mean."

Padme smiled at him. "Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine," she said with a small laugh.

 _Ouch_ , Zelina thought. _Anakin isn't that little boy anymore: he's grown. Quite a lot…I wish he'd compliment me like that at least once…_

She buried her pangs of hurt and jealousy and smiled at Padme. "Hey, what about me? What am I, spare parts?"

Padme laughed as she saw her. "Zelina! I almost didn't recognize you! You've grown too, quite a bit!"

Zelina returned her smile, inclining her head in acknowledgement. "Well, I'm no longer six…"

"Sixteen now?" Padme guessed.

"Mhm," she said proudly.

"I thought so," Padme said, smiling at her once more before they got down to business.

"Our presence here will be invisible my lady, I can assure you," Obi-Wan informed her as everyone took their seats on the couches. Padme's group sat on one side, and Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Zelina took their seats on the other, Zelina perching on the end next to Anakin.

"I am Captain Typho of her Majesty's security service. Queen Jamala has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you're here Master Kenobi. The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit," the dark skinned man who remained standing said.

"I don't need more security, I need answers!" Padme objected. "I want to know who's trying to kill me."

"We are here to protect you Senator, not to start an investigation," Obi-Wan said sternly.

"We will find out who's trying to kill you Padme, I promise you," Anakin suddenly said, drawing a surprised look from both Obi-Wan and Zelina. Obi-Wan was swift to scold him.

"We will not exceed our mandate my young Padawan learner."

"I meant it in the interest of protecting her, or course Master," Anakin returned tersely. Zelina shifted uncomfortably at the gradually increasing tension in the room.

"We will not go through this exercise again Anakin: and you _will_ pay attention to my lead," Obi-Wan rebuked him. He turned away to continue the conversation, but Anakin was not done.

"Why?" Anakin suddenly challenged. Zelina stiffened, catching his eye long enough to give him an 'are you stupid?' look before Anakin looked away to hold Obi-Wan's gaze challengingly.

"What?" Obi-Wan asked, seemingly surprised and angry that Anakin was challenging him in front of so many people. Zelina shook her head, embarrassed by them both.

"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill Master: investigation is implied in our mandate."

 _He has a point…_ Zelina couldn't help but think, glancing at Anakin from the corner of her eyes. She had to agree with Anakin on this one.

"We will do as the Council has instructed. And you will learn your place young one…" Obi-Wan tacked the last part on quietly, though everyone heard it in the awkward silence that followed as Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Padme, ending the discussion. Zelina tapped her knee against Anakin in a way to show that she was with him on this one, but said nothing more. He returned the action in a way of expressing thanks for letting him know he wasn't alone in his thoughts this time.

"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed," Padme said carefully, her eyes remaining on Anakin as she spoke. She stood slowly, triggering everyone else's own rise. "Now if you will excuse me…I will retire…"

Zelina discreetly squeezed Anakin's shoulder before she walked around the couch after Padme. "I'll come with you. There's plenty to talk about and hardly any time to do so," she said with a small smile. She didn't bother to turn around for any permission; she was going to talk to Padme one way or another.

Padme smiled at her. "Of course Zelina, I'd be delighted to talk to you."

Zelina turned and gave Anakin a soft smile as Padme walked ahead. Her heart dropped a little at the sad look on his face as he stared after Padme, and she lingered to hear what he would say.

"Meesa bursting with happiness seeing you again Ani!" Jar Jar exclaimed.

"She hardly even recognized me Jar Jar…I've thought about her every day since we've parted and…she's forgotten me completely…" Anakin said mournfully.

"Sheesa happy. Happier than meesa seein her in a long old time," Jar Jar said, trying to raise Anakin's spirits.

"You are focusing on the negative Anakin, be mindful of your thoughts…" Obi-Wan scolded. He paused before smiling a little. "She was pleased to see us…now, let's check the security."

Zelina sighed and shook her head, burying the rising pangs in her heart. She shouldn't have lingered. It would have been better for her to miss that conversation completely and go on in ignorance.

No longer feeling as happy as she'd been earlier, Zelina put on her signature 'everything's perfectly fine' mask and followed Padme's path into her quarters.


	2. In the Years Past

"I'm sorry about those two, they're not  _always_  like that, I promise," Zelina told Padme sincerely as Padme paced the length of her room.

Padme smiled a little. "I'll take your word for it."

Zelina stood from her perch in the doorway, shutting the door behind her. "They're just so opposite personality wise, and they don't always see eye to eye."

"I can tell," Padme said with a small laugh.

Zelina smiled a little. "Not the best first impression for ten years if you ask me. Ani's grown up more than you think: he's brave and smart and funny and kind…though he does seem to have retained his knack for getting in trouble. And he can be cocky and rush into things without thinking, but he's getting better about it…I think."

Padme eyed her with a knowing smile. "It sounds like you've got Anakin down to a science."

It was Zelina's turn to laugh. "Well I haven't heard anyone put it that way, but alright, if you say so."

Padme smiled, taking her hair out of the contraption and letting it tumble down her shoulders. "You definitely have grown Zelina."

"We all have," she said pointedly. Padme chuckled and patted the seat on the bed beside her.

"Why don't you catch me up on some of the things I've missed? Apparently there's a lot."

Zelina smiled a little, taking the seat beside her. "Well, I don't know  _everything_  that's gone on since Ani and I were separated right after the festivities on Naboo. We haven't seen each other that much since then, only off and on, here and there…"

Padme laughed. "Well, I don't need to know  _everything_ , just tell me how things have been going. How's your Master?"

Zelina smiled a little. "Master Du left for a mission on Christophsis, and she put in a word with the Council so that I could join Anakin and Obi-Wan on this mission and spend some time with them. I'm glad that I have her for my Master…she keeps me in line and does her best to be understanding at the same time. I'm lucky to be her student."

"It sounds like it."

The conversation progressed from there, and soon Zelina found herself recounting detailed stories of the adventures that Anakin and she had over the years. She was proud to make Padme laugh and, although she had been trying to convince Padme he had grown up, she couldn't help but share a few embarrassing stories of Anakin as well.

"He's very prone to losing his lightsaber. I think he has to find it at least twice a day," Zelina was saying. There was a soft knock at the door, and Anakin entered the room almost reverently.

"Obi-Wan needs you Zee. He does need to run through the security details with you..." he said. Zelina smiled at him a little.

"Alright, I'll be right out," she reassured him.

Anakin nodded, his eyes flickering over to Padme momentarily before he backed out of the room.

Padme, however, was studying her with a small smile on her face. "You like him...don't you?"

Zelina was startled. "What?"

Padme laughed a little. "It's all over your face: you have feelings for him. I thought the Jedi were not allowed to love?"

Zelina chuckled. "We're not allowed to have  _attachments_. We can't exactly help having feelings. I think that we're just not allowed to act on those feelings: we can't let our feelings for others get in the way of what we're supposed to be doing...so in my opinion, we can have those feelings, its something that can't be helped, but we cannot act on those feelings. That's how I interpret it anyway. Everyone has a different opinion on that rule it seems..."

Zelina wasn't foolish enough to believe that Padme hadn't noticed that she had skipped over answering Padme's question about whether or not she had feelings for Anakin. Thankfully, Padme didn't press the subject.

Padme shook her head. "You have grown up a lot...well, I shouldn't keep you if Master Kenobi needs you."

Zelina stood up. "Yes, I should probably get back out there...it was nice talking to you Padme."

Padme smiled at her. "Yes, it was nice talking to you too Zelina. I hope that we find the opportunity to talk some more."

Anakin was waiting for her outside the door, falling into step beside her. "So, what did you two talk about?"

Zelina put on the most serious look she could muster. "How horrible of a person you are."

Anakin stopped, looking shocked and confused. "What?"

Zelina laughed, slugging him gently in the arm. "I'm  _messing_  with you Ani." _  
_

Anakin shook his head and chuckled under his breath, his signature smirk slipping into place as he relaxed a little. "That wasn't funny."

"Then why are you laughing?"

Anakin rolled his eyes as Zelina made her way across the room over to Obi-Wan, who stood on the balcony. Anakin went to a corner of the living room to check on a security camera the two had set up while Zelina was talking to Padme.

Obi-Wan smiled at her when she appeared next to him. "She's emerged..."

Zelina chuckled. "Yes, Anakin drug me away from Padme. What do you have for me?"

Obi-Wan launched into his explanation. "Typho has set up his men on the lower levels: we won't have to worry about anyone trying to come up from there, that much I'm sure of. We've got security cameras throughout the apartment so that we can keep our eyes everywhere too...I need to put some up in the Senator's room before she goes to bed..."

Zelina nodded. "Are we going to be keeping watch too?"

"Yes. Once it gets late enough we'll do shifts. If Anakin even tries to sleep tonight."

Zelina frowned. "He hasn't been sleeping?"

Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head. "He's been having nightmares of his mother."

Zelina frowned, glancing back at her close friend. "What kind of nightmares, per say?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "They're just dreams. They'll go away in time."

Something nagged at the back of her mind, making her doubt what he'd said about the dreams being normal dreams. Though she let the subject drop anyway.

"Do you think you'll be able to focus this time during the mission? You won't get distracted...will you?" Obi-Wan asked vaguely.

Zelina blushed. On the last mission she had gone on with Obi-Wan and Anakin, her...personal feelings for Anakin had messed up her priorities, and she'd left their charge to rescue Anakin when he'd been captured. The same person they were supposed to be protecting almost got killed because she'd abandoned them.

"No Master Kenobi. I know what I'm supposed to do, I won't make the same mistake..." Zelina said softly.

Obi-Wan gave her a sympathetic look. "You know...you're not so subtle about your feelings for him."

"So I've been told," Zelina said quietly, smiling just a little.

"I think he might feel the same you know," Obi-Wan told her lightly. Zelina shook her head.

"No...no if anything he sees me as a sister...his eyes are for Padme..." she said, her voice trailing off.

Obi-Wan glanced at her. "Well...don't let your personal feelings get in the way of your job Zelina."

Zelina smiled a little. "I know Obi-Wan...I know..."  _I try. Believe me, I do..._

Obi-Wan gestured back into the living room. "Come on...I need to do some last minute checks and set up those cameras in Padme's room."

"Alright," she said with a small sigh, following him off of the balcony. Anakin stood waiting for them.

"Well you two took your time," he said with a small smirk. Zelina rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, we were hardly out there five minutes. You're just impatient."

Anakin shook his head. "I think everyone knows that Zee."

"Just stating a fact Anakin."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Can I leave you two alone for five minutes? You won't get into any trouble if I leave the room, right?"

"No promises," Zelina said with a grin.

"Yeah, you should know something will happen by now," Anakin chuckled.

Obi-Wan groaned. "You two..."

"Go on Obi-Wan, we won't blow anything up, I promise," Zelina reassured him.

"I've heard that one before," Obi-Wan said with a small smile. "Alright, I'll be back momentarily.  _Behave._ "

"Always," Anakin said with a smirk as Obi-Wan slipped into Padme's room to set up the cameras before he started sweeping the other floors. Anakin sighed, falling back onto the couch. "Well this has been an interesting day."

"Indeed," Zelina said with a smile, sitting next to him. "That was a nice face off you had with Obi-Wan earlier, though I must ask, what were you thinking?"

Anakin flushed a little, though whether that was from embarrassment or slight annoyance, she couldn't tell. "Someone's trying to kill Padme: I just think that the best way to protect her is to find and capture the person trying to kill her. I think this waiting around is just wasting our time and putting her more at risk."

Zelina sighed, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands. "I agree with you here, though at the same time...maybe just  _try_  to stay out of trouble this time. Please?"

Anakin groaned. "I'm sorry, it's just so  _frustrating_ , and nobody listens to me either!"

"I listen..." Zelina said quietly.

He glanced at her. "Yes...I know you listen...you always have; and I'm grateful for that."

Obi-Wan re-entered the room before Zelina could respond. She smiled at him innocently as he walked through, and he raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't done anything, don't give me that look," she said with a laugh.

"If you say so," Obi-Wan chuckled with a smile. "I'm going down: I'll be a minute."

"Of course. Take all the time you need," Zelina said with a smile and a wave of her hand.

The doors shut behind him and Anakin shook his head. "He has a talent at arriving at the worst time..."

"And you have a talent for irritating the most patient of people. Your point?"

"Excuse me?" Anakin asked, eyebrows raised. Zelina grinned.

"You heard me."

Anakin nodded slowly, thinking about something for several moments. "Alright...I see how you are..."

Zelina knew him well enough to dodge his first advance on her, flying off the couch as he lunged at her with a laugh. Zelina giggled like she was a small child again, tensed and ready for him to launch at her once more. He grinned devilishly from the couch, scrambling up after her just as quickly as he'd lunged at her. This time she stood her ground, and he tackled her, pushing her back a few steps. She laughed at him, holding on before he pushed her to the floor. It was official: she was laughing too hard to defend herself. They struggled for a few moments as Anakin gradually pinned her under him. He grinned foolishly as she giggled under him, stuggling to keep her hands out of his grasp. Finally, he managed to pin her arms over her head.

"I win," he chuckled. "What do you say?"

"Nope. Not going to say it."

"What do you say?"

"Boy this is comfortable..."

"Zee..."

He spoke softly, knowing it would get her attention. Zelina finally met his gaze, her grin softening into a gentle smile as she stared up at him. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited in anticipation, finding herself entranced by his eyes. They were so blue, she almost felt like she was falling into the sea, getting lost in their depths...

The door to the apartment slid open. "Captain Typho has more than enough men downstairs-" she heard Obi-Wan's voice waft towards them. He cut off, and they both looked up at him. Obi-Wan's eyebrows were raised and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Did I miss something?"

Anakin chuckled, standing up. "Nothing really Master: Zelina and I were just wrestling to settle a dispute."

Obi-Wan smiled a little, his eyes twinkling a little. "I see...well...as I was saying..."

Zelina sat up. Thankfully no one could see her blushing. She sighed a little as she dragged herself up to her feet, watching Anakin as he discussed the security with Obi-Wan.

_Yeah...nothing at all...everything's just fine..._


	3. The Chase

* * *

_Someone shoot me now…why did I agree to guard duty with these two?_

Zelina's feet dangled over the arm of the couch she was sprawled out on, staring at the ceiling. Also, currently, Anakin and Obi-Wan were bickering about  _politicians_ , of all things…she'd thought that the conversation had started off innocent enough…

* * *

" _You look tired…" Obi-Wan had said._

" _I don't sleep well anymore," Anakin stated quietly._

" _Because of your mother?"_

_Zelina had approached them then, eyeing Anakin curiously. He hadn't replied, simply shaken his head. "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her…"_

_Obi-Wan sighed, but Zelina cut in before he could say anything._

" _If you don't mind me asking Ani…could you possibly tell me what you saw?" she asked curiously._

_Anakin stared at his feet for a moment, turning back to look out over Coruscant's view. Zelina walked up beside him, sensing he wasn't quite comfortable talking about it._

" _She's in pain…so much pain…." He murmured. "She'll call for me but…I can't do anything…"_

" _How clear is it? How real does it feel…if that makes any sense," she murmured back._

_He shook his head. "I don't see anything…but it feels like she's right there, standing right next to me while she speaks…"_

_Zelina frowned, though Obi-Wan spoke before she could say anything more._

" _Dreams pass in time…"_

Not if they're something other than regular dreams, _Zelina thought, a suspicion starting to form in her mind. She didn't say it because she didn't want to worry Anakin any more until she was sure._

" _I'd much rather dream about Padme. Just being around her again is…intoxicating," Anakin said, making is way off the small balcony. Zelina deflated as he walked away, shaking her head. Obi-Wan spared her a sympathetic glance before following Anakin._

" _Be mindful of your thoughts Anakin, they betray you…You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not easily broken. And don't forget, she's a politician, and they're not to be trusted…"_

* * *

Somehow, that line of conversation had developed into the squabble they were having now. Zelina only listened half-heartedly, amused yet also a little annoyed.

"Not another lecture! At least not on the economics and politics…" Anakin complained.

"Yes, please Obi-Wan, spare us," Zelina quipped in with a small smile. Obi-Wan shot her a look as if to say 'can't you be on my side for once?'

"And besides, you're generalizing: the Chancellor doesn't appear to be corrupt," Anakin said confidently.

Zelina did her best to cover up a snort.

"Palpatine is a politician. I have observed that he is very clever in following the passions and prejudices of the Senators," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"I think he's a good man," Anakin said sincerely. "My-"

Suddenly, everyone's attention was drawn to Padme's room, Zelina sitting up fast from her spot on the couch.

"I sense it too," Obi-Wan stated, and immediately they all broke out into a sprint. Zelina felt her heart pounding in her chest. She hoped Padme was alright…

Zelina came in behind Anakin, watching as he leapt on the bead, lightsaber springing to life as he cut whatever had caused the disturbance in half. Two slug looking creatures flew across the room, their remains making a sick sounding splat against the floor. Padme sprung awake almost immediately with a gasp.

Zelina was startled as glass shattered, Obi-Wan having jumped out the window. Zelina rushed to the window, watching as Obi-Wan flew away on a droid. "Ani…"

"Stay here!" he told Padme firmly. Without another word, we both took off down the hallway.

"Well, this night just got interesting," Zelina huffed as she followed closely behind Anakin.

"I just hope Obi-Wan hasn't found himself in another mess that  _I_  have to dig him out of," he grumbled under his breath. Though there was still a note of worry in his voice as well.

"I'm sure he'll be fine…" Zelina said reasonably.

Anakin glanced back at her. "Maybe you should stay back with Padme…"

Zelina shook her head. "She'll be fine, I think half of Typho's men were back there."

Anakin shook his head. "Alright, alright, I'm convinced, come on, we're going to have to cover some ground to catch up with him…"

"I thought you were a fast flyer?" Zelina teased lightly.

"Not now Zee…let's just find a vehicle…"

Anakin ran down the aisle of speeders, his hand resting on a yellow one. Zelina shook her head. "Won't do. Once we catch up to Obi-Wan there will be three of us. It only seats two."

Anakin gave a short sigh of exasperation. "We'll make it work."

"No, we'll use this one," Zelina argued, making her way to an orange four seated speeder down the other wall. It was almost similar to the yellow one he'd picked. Hopefully he would be satisfied.

"Fine," he said shortly, hoping in the driver's seat. Zelina got in the passenger side just as quickly, hardly having time to get situated before Anakin backed up and peeled out into Coruscant's traffic. He weaved in and out, speeding past all of the other speeders at a breakneck speed.

"Don't kill us too," she scolded Anakin, trying to relax despite his reckless driving.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to catch up to him and find him."

"It should be easy. Wherever Obi-Wan is there's bound to be chaos right now."

"Good point. Though you do need to remember this entire  _planet_  is one big city."

"I know Anakin, I know, now why don't we focus on finding our runaway friend, hmm?"

Anakin laughed a little. "That's what we're doing right now."

There was a few beats of silence, both of them searching for Obi-Wan with their eyes and by stretching out their senses. Suddenly, Zelina grabbed Anakin's shoulder, pointing towards the freefalling figure in front of them. "There he is."

"I'm on it," Anakin murmured, dropping into a steep dive. Zelina closed her eyes, trying not to think of the fact that they were almost going straight down. Zelina kept her eyes on Obi-Wan as Anakin leveled out the speeder, craning her neck as Obi-Wan stretched out to grab onto the back of the speeder. He pulled himself onto the back and into the back seat.

"Welcome back. Glad you could join us again Master Kenobi," Zelina said with a chuckle.

"What took you so long?" Obi-Wan shouted in their ear over the noise of the speeders all around them.

"Well, you know Master, I couldn't find a speeder that I really liked," Anakin said nonchalantly.

"Or one that would fit all of us for that fact," Zelina chipped in.

"There he is," Obi-Wan said, pointing at a small green speeder up ahead.

"With the open cockpit and the right speed capabilities…" Anakin continued.

"If you spent as much time practicing your saber technique as you do your wit, you would rival Master Yoda as a swordsman," Obi-Wan muttered.

"I thought I already did."

Obi-Wan laughed a little. "Only in your mind my very young apprentice."

Zelina grinned at Anakin. "I'm going to have to test were you've gotten in your lightsaber technique Ani, I can't remember the last time I sparred you."

"Another time perhaps," Anakin said with a grin.

Ahead of us, the green speeder suddenly dived. Anakin flipped the speeder we were in over before following it in the steep dive. Zelina took a few steadying breathes, trying to relax as she was pressed against the back of her seat. Down and down they went, further and further, closer to the core than Zelina would like to be.

Below them, a ship started to slowly make its way directly into the path that they were on. That's when Zelina's nerves started to fray.

"Ani…" she said, her voice cracking.

"Pull up Anakin…" Obi-Wan added, his own voice cracking. "Pull up!"

Anakin simply laughed like a madman before he finally pulled up at the last moment, barely missing the giant ship and evening out the speeder.

Zelina slumped in her seat, pale and feeling a little sick. She'd been seriously convinced she was going to die for a few moments there.

"You know I don't like it when you do that…" Obi-Wan muttered.

"I'm sorry Master. I forgot you don't like flying," Anakin quipped.

"I don't mind flying but what  _you're doing is suicide!"_  Obi-Wan said, his voice rising to a yell as Anakin nearly missed another speeder.

"Agreed," Zelina said weakly, straightening up in her seat.

"Sorry Zee," Anakin said sincerely.

Now, as if the regular chase wasn't bad enough, Anakin had them weaving around fire in an industrial zone.

"You'd think I'd be used to this kind of stuff by now. I think it's just the fact it's an  _open cockpit_  that's got me so jumpy," Zelina muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

Up ahead, a pair of power couplings sprung to life and Zelina grimaced as Obi-Wan shouted from the back seat once more.

"Anakin! How many times have I told you—" Obi-Wan momentarily cut off as they all suddenly felt the electricity coursing through them. Obi-Wan forced out the rest of his sentence through the jolts running through him. "Stay away from power couplings!"

Zelina shook herself a little as the shock finally subsided.

"That was good," Obi-Wan grumbled.

"I think I'm going to be sick at this rate," Zelina mumbled.

The green speeder took a sharp turn, headed down a tunnel. Anakin, on the other hand, went straight. Obi-Wan leaned forward from the back seat. "Where are you going? He went that way!"

"Master, if we keep this chase going any longer that creep is going to end up deep fried. And personally I'd very much like to find out who he is and who he's working for…this is a shortcut…I think…"

"You think?" Zelina asked incredulously. "You sound confident about that."

"Zee: not now."

She held up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm backing off."

"Thank you," Anakin muttered. She gave him an apologetic smile and, thankfully, he returned with a smile of his own.

They came to hover at a standstill at an intersection. Anakin and Zelina's eyes scanned the speeders coming to and from, hoping to spot the green speeder. So far, no luck.

"Well you've lost him," Obi-Wan said disapprovingly.

"I am deeply sorry Master," Anakin said, a muscle jumping in his jaw. Zelina discreetly put a hand on his knee reassuringly, and he thankfully relaxed a little.

"That was some short cut Anakin, he went completely the other way," Obi-Wan continued, even getting to passionate about it he resulted to hand gestures. Anakin, however, had spotted something below. "Once again you've proved you—"

"If you'll excuse me," he suddenly said, hopping out of the speeder. Zelina and Obi-Wan both peered over the edge to see Anakin plunging downwards.

"I hate it when he does that…" Obi-Wan muttered.

"He's done this before? Never! Never ever would I do  _that_!" Zelina said, a little shocked. She hadn't heard anything about Anakin plunging miles down to a certain death out of a speeder. As she watched, however, he landed right on the speeder they were pursuing. She hopped in the driver's seat, grabbing the wheel.

"My turn!" she said cheerily. Obi-Wan groaned.

"Spare me. I've already had to go through Anakin, now I have to survive your driving?"

"Thank you Obi-Wan, that's so reassuring," Zelina said sarcastically as she shot forward after Anakin and the green speeder. Obi-Wan crawled into the passenger side. "I do hope he doesn't get into any specifically nasty situations while we're trying to catch up to him."

"It's Anakin: I'm sure he'll get into trouble of some sort," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Good point."

They lapsed into silence as they continued to pursue the green speeder. Zelina could see Anakin dangling from the front end one moment, then holding on for dear life in the back the next minute. Her stomach twisted from nerves from where they were, wishing she could help him. She hated seeing him in danger, despite their danger-fraught way of life.

"Relax Zelina: your fear's coming across loud and clear right now," Obi-Wan muttered to her.

"Sorry Obi-Wan," Zelina murmured. She watched as Anakin got on top of the speeder, saw his blade blaze to life as he pierced into the speeder's cockpit. The lightsaber suddenly came hurtling in their direction.

"You got that?" she asked Obi-Wan. In response, he simply reached up and snatched the lightsaber out of the air, setting it between them. "Why am I not surprised he lost it again," Zelina murmured. Obi-Wan simply chuckled.

Zelina's eyes narrowed as she saw the speeder start to dive. "They're going down…"

"He'll be fine, don't worry; just follow them, alright?"

She followed after the green speeder that was currently on fire as it rapidly descended to the ground.

"If he gets hurt I'm going to kill him, just so you know Obi-Wan," Zelina muttered. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"He'll be fine, alright? Don't worry Zelina…"

Just as he said that, she saw Anakin fall off of the speeder, though thankfully it wasn't that high up when he did. Still, she winced seeing him fall, hastily getting ready to land her speeder so they could catch up to them in the shops.

She gave a frustrated growl as Anakin disappeared from view. "Well, this job just got complicated…" she grumbled.

"Relax and use the Force; we'll be able to find him."

She glided the speeder to a smooth stop on the ground, leaping out almost immediately with Obi-Wan at her side. "Come on, we might be able to catch up to them before Anakin gets into too much more trouble."

"No guarantees we will though," Obi-Wan admitted.

They were able to cut him off right before he rushed into a club.

"Anakin!" they both called out at the same time. Anakin paused, taking a few steps toward them and pointing inside the building.

"She went into the club Master," Anakin said breathlessly, pointing at the entrance.

"Patience: use the Force. Think," Obi-Wan said softly.

"Sorry Master…"Anakin mumbled.

"They went in there to hide, not to run," Obi-Wan continued.

"Yes Master."

Obi-Wan offered Anakin his lightsaber. "Next time, try not to lose it," he said wearily.

"Yes Master."

"This weapon  _is your life_."

"I try Master…" Anakin said with a sigh, taking the lightsaber from Obi-Wan as Obi-Wan entered the club. Zelina pulled up next to Anakin.

"Don't feel bad, he just gave me some of that advice too just moments ago," Zelina said with a small smile as they followed after Obi-Wan. Anakin returned the smile.

"That makes me feel a little better…"

"Why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin as they all stood at the entrance of the club. Zelina frowned, uncomfortable with what he'd said.

"Don't say that Master, you're the closest thing I have to a father," Anakin said solemnly.

"Then why don't you listen to me?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I  _am_  trying…"

"He really is," Zelina quipped. Obi-Wan sighed.

"We'll talk about this later…can you see him?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin.

"I think he is a she…and I think she is a Changeling," Anakin informed them. They took a moment to let the information sink in.

"In that case be extra careful," Obi-Wan said slowly before he suddenly started off in a different direction, nodding to Anakin. "Go and find her."

Anakin stopped him. "Where are you going Master?"

Obi-Wan smiled as if it was obvious. "For a drink."

Anakin chuckled a little as Obi-Wan walked away. Zelina shook her head. "You take right, I'll take left?"

"Sure," Anakin said with a slight smirk, already turning in the other direction. Zelina sighed, starting to weave her way through the crowd, looking for anyone that seemed suspicious. She eyed every person she passed, doing her best to stay out of everyone's way. However, she wasn't having any luck. She couldn't find anyone that might be their would-be assassin, resisting the urge to groan in frustration. She slowly worked her way through the crowd, a growing sense of danger making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on edge. Something was wrong…their guy was still in here…but where?

She could see Obi-Wan at the bar, and she could see Anakin coming around as well. It seemed they'd both scanned the area without much success.

Apparently she'd spoken too soon.

The Force hummed in warning, and as she watched, Obi-Wan effortlessly spun around and cleaved the would-be assassin's blaster in two with his lightsaber. The entire club went silent as Obi-Wan pulled her off the floor.

Zelina pulled up next to Anakin, who turned to the frightened onlookers. "Easy. Jedi business, go back to your drinks."

"Smooth," she muttered with a smirk. He laughed a little under his breath as they followed Obi-Wan and the girl outside.

Obi-Wan helped the girl down to the ground outside in the alley by the club, and Anakin and Zelina crouched down beside him.

"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" Obi-Wan asked her.

"It was a Senator from Naboo," the girl grunted.

"And who hired you?" Obi-Wan asked, a little firmer.

"It was just a job…" she said pitifully.

"Who hired you, tell us," Anakin said, his voice taking the tone of forced kindness.

Obi-Wan glanced at him and Zelina tensed a little.

"Tell us  _now_!" Anakin suddenly shouted at her. Zelina put a hand on his shoulder. "Breathe…" Zelina murmured to him, massaging his shoulder. Thankfully, he gradually relaxed.

"It was a bounty hunter called—"

A poison dart came out of nowhere, striking the girl right in the throat. She began to wither away almost immediately, her last words indistinguishable to Zelina.

"Oh come on, we are not  _that_  unlucky," Zelina groaned, looking around for the killer. She saw a trail from a jetpack, but that was all.

Obi-Wan took the dart from the girl's neck. "Toxic dart…" Obi-Wan murmured. Anakin turned to inspect the girl, though Zelina knew there was no point. She was dead.

"Well this was fun," Zelina said with a weak smile.

Anakin simply shook his head, the smallest of smiles flickering across his face momentarily in return to her own.


	4. A Different Arrangement

* * *

The next morning found Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Zelina in the Council Room, receiving new orders from the Council members. Obi-Wan met each of the Master's gazes head on, Anakin was staring at his feet with a frown on his face, and Zelina was bouncing between glancing at Anakin with a little bit of concern on her face and meeting the eyes of whatever Master was currently speaking.

"Track down this Bounty Hunter you  _must_  Obi-Wan," Yoda was saying.

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for," Windu added.

For once, Zelina was in agreement with him. However, there was a certain person weighing on her mind…

Obi-Wan frowned, voicing the same worry that Zelina was thinking. "What about Senator Amidala? She will still need protecting."

"Handle that, the Padawans will," Yoda said, pointing at both Anakin and Zelina. Zelina was a little startled. They were going to go on a mission together? Without their Masters?

_Finally!_

Anakin seemed to be experiencing the same emotions, though she didn't think it had quiet registered in his mind yet as Obi-Wan studied Anakin closely. Obviously, he had doubts about Yoda's statement.

"Anakin," Windu said, catching Anakin's attention immediately. "You and Zelina will escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo. She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport: travel as refugees."

"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the Capital," Anakin said after a moment's silence.

"Until caught this killer is, our judgment, she must respect," Yoda said firmly.

"Anakin, Zelina; go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her about this matter," Windu finished. Zelina had to hide the blanch that threatened to break through at the thought of having to talk to the Chancellor.

All three of them bowed, then made their exit. Obi-Wan glanced back at Anakin and Zelina. "You two should probably go see Palpatine. Depending on whether or not he's busy today, you might be there a while."

"I'm sure it won't take too long. Palpatine will take the time to listen to what we have to say, I know he will," Anakin said confidently. Zelina said nothing, and thankfully, neither of them pressed her for her opinion.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Either way, the sooner you talk to him the better."

"Yes Master…" Anakin said softly.

Obi-Wan nodded. "I'll see you two later."

Obi-Wan walked away, and as soon as it was just the two of them Zelina nudged Anakin with her elbow. "Well, what do you know? Our first mission without the supervision of our Masters…and it's just going to be you, me, and Padme. This should be fun."

Anakin chuckled a little. "It'll be interesting, that's for sure…though I can't help but feel nervous…it's my first time without Obi-Wan…"

"It's my first time without supervising us too you know," Zelina laughed, smiling warmly at him.

"Yes, I know," Anakin chuckled.

"You're not going to do anything stupid while we're on this little mission, are you Ani?" Zelina asked slyly.

Anakin shot her a hurt look. "Are you suggesting I can't handle this? That I always mess things up?"

Zelina laughed. "Loosen up Ani: I'm messing with you!"

He shook his head. "Some days Zee…"

Zelina chuckled, following him onto the shuttle they were taking to the Senate Building. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Well, I'm having nightmares about my mother and someone tried to kill Padme last night but was killed before we could find anything out, how well do you think I slept last night?"

Zelina held her hands up. "Force, I was just asking Ani…"

Anakin smirked. "Relax Zee, I'm messing with you."

"Not fair."

Anakin laughed for a moment before he sobered. "Though really, I didn't sleep that well. Like I told Obi-Wan, I hardly get any sleep these days…"

"Maybe sharing a room with someone will help? I mean, that way if you're having a nightmare you have someone to wake you up before it can get too bad…maybe we'll share a room when we get to Naboo: it's not like we haven't before."

Anakin nodded. "Sure, I'll try anything at this rate."

Zelina grinned, thumping him on the back. "Good, than I guess we're roommates as soon as we get to Naboo: just like old times."

Anakin chuckled. "Don't make me regret it."

Zelina feigned offense. "Now why would you say that? I'd never do such a thing!"

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Sure Zee, sure…"

The rest of the trip was spent in comfortable silence until they arrived at the Senate Building. Zelina fell into step behind Anakin, twirling her Padawan braid like she used to when she was little and had first gotten it. It had become a habit of hers whenever she was nervous.

"How about you do the talking here, huh Ani?"

Anakin rolled his eyes. "I don't see what your problem is: there's nothing wrong with the Chancellor. He's a great guy."

"It's just…he creeps me out…I get a bad feeling whenever I'm around the guy…"

A muscle twitched in Anakin's jaw and Zelina sighed. "Let's just not talk about it right now."

"Alright," he said a little stiffly. Thankfully, the awkward silence didn't last long. They were soon standing right outside the door, and Zelina's attention shifted from being upset that Anakin was upset with her to being annoyed at the fact she was about to be stuck in the same room as Palpatine. Hopefully this would be a quick visit.

She stayed back for a while, letting Anakin explain the situation to Palpatine himself. The less she had to talk to the man, the better. Whenever they did talk, they were usually on opposite grounds. Luckily none of those conversations had become an argument…yet.

"I will talk with her…Senator Amidala will not refuse and executive order. I know her well enough to assure you of that," Palpatine told Anakin. Zelina stared aimlessly out the window, watching the speeders pass by as the two talked.

"Thank you your Excellency," Anakin said humbly.

"And so they've finally given you an assignment?" Palpatine asked. Anakin nodded a little while off to the side, Zelina cocked her head, finally paying attention to the conversation. "Your patience has paid off."

"Your guidance more than my patience," Anakin told him.

Zelina shot Anakin a look, though both of them missed it. She shook her head with a sigh. Her friend could be brilliant, but sometimes…

_If you have anyone's guidance to thank, it's Obi-Wan's and some days Qui-Gon's…not a creepy politician…_

The two started to move away from the window, and Zelina sighed, content with being invisible to the two. The most attention Palpatine had given her was a 'Good day' that was actually directed towards both of them.

"You don't need guidance Anakin. In time you will learn to trust your feelings.  _Then_  you will be invincible."

Zelina scowled at Palpatine's back, barely holding her tongue. This was why she didn't like joining Anakin for trips into the Chancellor's office. She hated seeing the creepy old man butter him up and make him even more egotistical.

"I have said it many times; you are the most gifted Jedi I have ever met," Palpatine added, and Zelina looked away once more. Anakin was gifted. She hated it when Palpatine did that: put in small truths to justify whatever else he said.

_This is why I hate politics. This is why I hate most politicians._

She paused, thinking over her wording for a moment.  _Dislike, not hate…_

_Though I might make an exception for Palpatine._

"Thank you your Excellency," Anakin said once more.

"I see you becoming the greatest of all the Jedi Anakin. Even more powerful than Master Yoda."

_Alright, that's laying it on a little thick, don't you think_?

Zelina scowled once more before she constructed her expression into a pleasant smile. "Well, I hate to say it, but we really should be going Chancellor. We need to start getting ready for the departure to Naboo."

Palpatine looked at her as if just realizing she was there, though Anakin gave her a suspicious look. She didn't care: if he could see through her excuse as a reason to leave, so be it.

Palpatine returned the smile, though Zelina thought it looked fake. "Of course, I shouldn't keep you two any longer than necessary. We all have things to do. I shall see you another time then Anakin."

"Of course your Excellency," Anakin said, glancing at Zelina one more time before they both bowed respectfully. Then, blessedly, they left Palpatine's office.

Once they were a little ways away from the room, Anakin turned to Zelina. "What was that? I know you're not concerned about time Zelina, so don't try feeding me any excuses."

Zelina cocked an eyebrow. "You really don't see what he was doing, do you?"

Anakin scowled. "Oh,  _please_  don't tell me this is more of your Chancellor conspiracy theory."

Zelina rolled her eyes. "So you have a name for it now? Force Anakin, how do you not notice something so  _obvious_? He's feeding your ego, laying the flattery on so thick it makes me sick."

" _Flattery_? What's wrong with getting praise now and then? Am I supposed to be satisfied with the constant scolding I get from the Council and Obi-Wan? Am I not  _allowed_  any praise?" Anakin asked angrily, his voice gradually rising.

"I'm just saying Anakin, there's a difference between flattery and praise, and that was some heavily layered flattery," Zelina said firmly.

"If it was flattery—which it's  _not_ —why would there be anything wrong with it?" Anakin demanded.

"Because it makes you all the more susceptible whenever the flatterer tries to take advantage of you," Zelina shot back. "Have you forgotten what happened with that politician on Haaridan? The one that  _flattered_  me enough he was able to trick me into believing that it was the other side of the Civil War we should be fighting for and I almost went with him? I was too blind to see though his lies, and it almost cost us  _all_  dearly. Flattery can be a  _very_  dangerous thing Anakin, I'd know."

Anakin looked away, still visibly fuming, and Zelina sighed. "I  _know_  he's your friend Ani, and I know you look up to him…I'm just saying that ever since we met him I've felt like something was off about him, and he's  _always_  laid the flattery on so heavily when your around. Just  _please_  don't let it get to your head Ani; and don't ever let it blind you to any obvious facts like I did."

He didn't say anything, though she figured it was better than him flat out disagreeing with her. However, she knew him well enough she was afraid her friend might be condemning her silently in his head. She didn't want him to. She didn't want him to shut her out. She couldn't bear the thought. She sighed.

"Let's not talk about it anymore, please Ani? I don't want to fight, and I don't want to make you upset…I won't bring it up again. He's your friend, and I respect that. I'll keep my opinions to myself from here on out," she said softly.

Anakin inclines his head towards her. "Alright," he said simply. He was still tense, and his voice still had an edge to it, but they tension was slowly melting away as they left the Senate Building. Still, it bugged Zelina that she'd made him upset…though that wasn't about to change her opinion about Palpatine. She didn't like the guy; end of story.

They boarded a shuttle to head towards Padme's apartment and, tired of the silence between them, Zelina spoke again.

"So…what do you say to being sparring partners while we're on Naboo? It'll be a good way to pass the time, and we got to keep that lightsaber technique from getting rusty," she said cheerily.

Anakin cracked a small smile. "It won't be much of a match. I could beat you any day Zee."

Zelina chuckled. "We'll see about that Ani."

Anakin stretched out, resting his head against the wall. "I'm sure she's got the message to leave by now…she's not going to be too happy about this."

"Well, in my opinion, I'd much rather see her safely on Naboo while Obi-Wan tracks down this bounty hunter."

"True…true…"

Zelina nudged him as the shuttle glided to a stop. "Come on Ani, we're here."

"I'm coming, just give me a second," he said with a soft laugh. Zelina smiled.

_Good. His minds already off our fight, and his moods picked up._

Feeling a lot better now, Zelina trotted happily through the door to Padme's apartment with Anakin.

* * *

Zelina lounged in Padme's bedroom window, listening to her speak to Jar Jar about having to take her position in the Senate in her absence. She'd paused in her packing to talk to him, leaving Zelina in the room while Anakin waited patiently in the hall for her.

"I do not like this idea of hiding," she grumbled as she came made her way back into the room. Anakin came in right behind her.

"Don't worry, now that the Council's ordered an investigation it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter," Anakin said smoothly, coming to a stop at the foot of her bed.

"I haven't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act to not be here when it's fate is decided!" Padme fumed, packing a stack of clothes into the suitcase on her bed.

Zelina stood from her spot by the window. "Let me help you with that," she said gently, slipping into her closet and taking some of the clothes that her handmaids had already folded. Padme gave her a grateful smile.

"Sometimes we must let go of our pride, and do what is requested of us," Anakin said, suddenly sounding beyond his years, if only for a moment.

Zelina slowed in her movement a little, packing a stack of clothes in beside Padme as her eyes became unfocused, an ache appearing in her heart. She was a little too familiar with that statement, and to hear Anakin voice it brought the wistful thoughts rushing to the front of her mind. If she wasn't a Jedi…if it wasn't forbidden…she knew of at least one thing that would be different. She glanced up at Anakin before slipping back into the closet and taking another stack of clothes from the handmaiden.

"Anakin…you've grown up," Padme said, startling Zelina a little when she appeared right next to her. Zelina gave her a little smile once more as she returned to the suitcase to pack the clothes away.

"Master Obi-Wan manages not to see it," Anakin said quietly, making his way over to the window.

"Ani, you know that's not true," Zelina said softly, lingering in the room instead of returning to the closet. Anakin picked up a cylindrical object on the table by the window.

"Don't get me wrong, Obi-Wan is a great mentor," Anakin said, levitating the object almost absentmindedly, watching it go up and down, forwards and back. "He's wise as Master Yoda, and as powerful as Master Windu…"

He stopped levitating the object, turning back to face the two young women watching him. "I am truly thankful to be his apprentice."

Zelina called the object in his hands to her with a smirk, catching it and studying it for a moment. "I've always envied you for having him as your Master, if I may say so," she told him.

Anakin nodded with a sigh, walking away from the window and staring down the hall. Zelina could see the other feelings that Anakin usually kept hidden away starting to boil to the surface in the growing silence as she levitated the object back to its pedestal on the table.

"In some ways…a lot of ways…I'm really ahead of him. I'm ready for the Trials, but he feels that I'm too unpredictable. He won't let me  _move on_ ," Anakin said in a frustrating tone, his voice starting to rise.

"That must be frustrating," Padme said softly.

"It's worse; he's overly critical, he  _never_  listens, he doesn't  _understand_ …it's not  _fair_!" Anakin suddenly burst out before he caught himself. He glanced at them both guiltily, though Zelina gave him a reassuring smile, just to let him know she didn't mind. She was glad to hear him talking to  _someone_  about how he felt. She knew it wasn't good for him to keep all these feelings bottled up.

Maybe she'd put in a word with Obi-Wan for him…

"Our mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way we grow," Padme said wisely from where she stood in the doorway. Zelina shook herself a little, returning to helping her pack away her clothes.

Anakin sighed, sitting down on the bed. "I know…"

Padme paused, turning to him. "Anakin…don't try to grow up  _too_  fast."

Anakin stood facing her. "But I  _am_  grown up." It was a little amusing to hear him say that as he stood up. Padme was a little more than a head shorter than him. "You said it yourself."

The smile on Zelina's face, however, ebbed away as she caught the way he looked at her. A little half smirk, staring deeply in her eyes with secret desire dancing in his eyes…It was a look that caused Zelina's heart to stop, yet her eyes to sting from tears of jealousy as she turned away. If only he'd look at her like that…

_No…if he looked at you like that, you'd lose whatever control you had, and both of you would wind up expelled from the Jedi Order._

But still…it would be nice if he would…

"Please don't look at me like that," Padme said somewhat firmly.

"Why not?" Anakin challenged softly.

Zelina had to retain a shiver at his tone. However, it seemed Padme was not truly human, because she stood firm under his gaze and alluring tone.

"It makes me feel uncomfortable," Padme stated simply, turning away from him. Both Anakin and Zelina watched her walk back to her closet with amusement, though Anakin still retained that look in his eyes whilst Zelina veiled her own true feelings at the moment.

"Sorry my lady," Anakin said with a smirk.

"Yeah right," Zelina said with a soft laugh. Anakin chuckled, and Zelina returned to helping Padme pack away her clothes.

* * *

It didn't take them long to find themselves dressed as refugees, on their way to board the ship that would take them to Naboo. Zelina sat with Obi-Wan, meaning to steal away a few words with him. It seemed he had the same intention.

As Obi-Wan sat down, he cut right to the chase. "Zelina, it would make me feel better if you would promise me you will keep an eye on Anakin while you two are with Padme on Naboo," he said softly.

"Of course Obi-Wan, you know I always look out for Ani," she replied just as quietly.

"Well, you know how prone he is to trouble, and I know he has feelings for Padme: make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, alright?"

Zelina rolled her eyes. "Don't worry Obi-Wan, Anakin will be fine. I'll keep him in line," she chuckled. Gradually, her expression softened. "Though I do think we need to talk about something for a moment."

Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow, leaning back a little. "Oh really?"

Zelina nodded. "We were talking, and Anakin was talking about how his training has been going…" she trailed off, trying to think of how she should say this.

"And?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.

Zelina sighed. "Do you think it would be possible to go a little easier on him?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Zelina glanced at her friend, sitting at the front of the shuttle and staring out the window with a soft frown on his face.

"Well…do you remember what I told you back on Naboo right before I left with Master Du?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

Zelina picked at her fingers. "From what I've gathered, Anakin's started to feel like you don't have any faith in him…like you don't listen to him or take the time to understand what's going on with him…he's feeling neglected and feels like he's being held back…there's a lot really…" Zelina said sheepishly.

Obi-Wan's frown gained a worried edge, but Zelina continued before he could say anything. "I just think you might need to go a little easier on him, and maybe talk to him a little more…try and see things from his perspective too…He is thankful for being your apprentice though, so don't think he's not grateful," Zelina added hastily.

Obi-Wan sighed, glancing up towards Anakin. The shuttle was getting ready to land by the time he spoke. "Alright Zelina, I'll see what I can do…"

Zelina grinned at him. "Thank you Obi-Wan."

He chuckled a little, shaking his head and smiling at her. "No, thank you for bringing it to my attention…I guess I have been negligent to how Anakin's been receiving things lately…"

Zelina smiled, standing up as everyone else got ready to depart. "And don't worry Obi-Wan, I'll keep an eye on Anakin. You have my word."

They both made their way up the shuttle to where Anakin and Padme stood, Zelina slipping over to stand beside Anakin as Padme said her goodbyes.

"…I worry about you. What if they realize you've left the Capital?" Padme's handmaiden was saying.

"Well…then my Jedi protectors will have to prove how good they are," she said with a smile. Anakin and Zelina shared a smile of their own at her statement, before Obi-Wan called Anakin's attention to him.

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan said softly. "Don't do anything without consulting either myself or the Council."

"Yes Master," Anakin replied almost automatically.

"And don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything either. Anything at all," Obi-Wan added. Zelina was pleased with the fact that he kept his tone from being stiff or commanding.

"You sound like a concerned parent sending their kid off to school Obi-Wan," Zelina teased gently with a small laugh. Obi-Wan chuckled a little as well.

"It feels like it," he said in amusement. Zelina grinned at Anakin as Obi-Wan shifted to address Padme.

"See, he's just concerned about you. I think Obi-Wan might be a little overprotective," she whispered quietly to him.

Anakin smiled a little. "I guess…"

"I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly my lady. You'll be back here in no time," Obi-Wan informed Padme with a small smile as Zelina and Anakin gathered up the luggage.

"I'll be most grateful for your speed Master Jedi," Padme replied.

"It's time to go," Anakin stated, stepping off of the shuttle.

"I know…" Padme said softly. Zelina lingered, taking up the rear as they filed off the shuttle.

"Anakin, Zelina: May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan called after them.

They both paused and turned to him. "May the Force be with  _you_  Master," Anakin responded.

"May the Force be with you too Obi-Wan," Zelina added.

They all grabbed something to carry and started making their way to the ships, glancing around along the way.

"Suddenly I'm afraid…" Padme said quietly.

"This is my first assignment on my own…I am too," Anakin admitted.

"Same here," Zelina added.

Anakin glanced back at the familiar astromech droid following after them. "Don't worry, we have R2 with us!"

They all laughed, though Zelina couldn't help but add to it. "And each other. This will definitely be one interesting trip," she said lightly. Padme smiled at her.

"That it will be."


	5. Varykino

Zelina stood and stretched. "I don't know how much longer I can stand sitting," she mumbled.

The three of them were  _still_  on the ship headed for Naboo, and Zelina was beginning to wonder how much longer she could stand being stuck in one place. She wanted to get up and move around so badly…

Anakin chuckled a little. "Aren't you always the one telling me to have more patience?" he teased.

Zelina groaned. "And so my own advice comes back to haunt me."

Anakin smiled. "Well, perhaps you need to learn to follow your own advice before you give it."

"The same could be said for you," Zelina shot back, matching his grin with ease.

Anakin rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Sure, whatever."

Padme laughed at them, smiling as she took the bowl R2 had fetched for her. "Thank you R2." Zelina didn't miss the fact that Anakin's sparkling eyes didn't leave Padme once, drinking in her smile and laugh. He paid close attention to every word she said, his attention riveted to her and her alone most of the time.

"It must be difficult having sworn your life to the Jedi. Not being able to visit the places you like or do the things you like…" Padme trailed off, and Anakin was quick to cut in.

"Or be with the people that I love," he added, eyeing her in such a way they all knew he was referring to her. Zelina decided to take a special interest in the ceiling, not sure if she could stand to continue witnessing Anakin's lustful eyes on Padme.

Padme smiled a little. "Zelina and I talked about this back on Coruscant. I'd asked her if Jedi were allowed to love, having heard it was forbidden for the Jedi to love. She said everyone seems to have their own opinion on whether or not the Jedi are allowed to love or not."

Anakin glanced at Zelina. "Yes well…attachment is  _forbidden_ …possession is  _forbidden_ … _Compassion_ , which I would define as  _unconditional love_ , is essential to a Jedi's life. So, you might say that we are  _encouraged_ to love."

Zelina shook her head. Anakin always had a way to look at the rules and find a way to justify his actions. It was one way to look at the rule, though Zelina was fully aware that it wasn't the way that the rule had  _meant_  to be looked at. Though she couldn't really judge him. She broke one of those rules every single day. Absentmindedly, her hand floated to her mother's necklace, currently hidden under her tunic.

"You've changed so much…" Padme said.

"Nah, you haven't changed a bit," Anakin said earnestly. "You're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams."

It suddenly got very quiet.

_Awkward_ , Zelina thought.  _Smooth Anakin, smooth._

It seemed Anakin was very well aware of his blunder because he bit his lip, casting his eyes elsewhere.

Zelina couldn't help but think it was kind of cute. She hardly ever saw him so embarrassed.

* * *

It was a blessing for Zelina when they finally arrived on Naboo. She could finally get up and stretch! She grinned over at Anakin as they walked along, each one of them holding a suitcase as they ascended a flight of stairs. Padme was talking about her political career.

"I wasn't the youngest Queen ever elected. But now that I think back, I don't think I was old enough. I'm not sure I was ready."

"I wouldn't have been," Zelina says. "Then again, I don't really like politics."

"The people you served thought you did a good job. I heard they even tried to amend the constitution so you could stay in office," Anakin said. His tone was one Zelina recognized all too well and she shook her head with a small smile.

"I was relieved when my two terms were up. But when the Queen asked me to serve as Senator, I couldn't refuse her," Padme said with a smile.

"I agree with her. I think the Republic needs you. I'm glad that you chose to serve," Anakin said almost reverently.

"I am too," Zelina chipped in. She was beginning to feel forgotten, and they had just landed on Naboo. That wasn't a good sign. She raised the suitcase she was carrying. "So where are we going to put these while you talk to the Queen?"

"Oh, right, I haven't told you yet. You probably don't want to be holding those the entire time," Padme chuckled.

"Not particularly, no," Zelina laughed.

Padme shook her head. "Well, don't worry, I'll show you where to put them. We're almost there too, come on. Right on time too," Padme said cheerily.

* * *

Of course, Zelina hated politics. However, she was mildly interested in the conversation that went on between the Naboo senators and the Queen as both Anakin and she stood on either side of Padme, listening to the conversation in front of them.

"If the Senate votes to create an army, I'm  _sure_  it's going to push us into a civil war," Padme was saying adamantly.

"It's unthinkable. There hasn't been a full scale war since the formation of the Republic," said the man with the white beard Zelina couldn't put a name to. The Queen turned her attention to Padme.

"Do you see any way through negotiations to bring the Separatists  _back_  into the Republic?"

"Not if they feel threatened," Padme said wearily. "My guess is they'll turn to the Trade Federations or the Commerce Guilds for help."

The Queen sighed as the bearded man spoke again. "It's outrageous. That after four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. I fear the Senate is powerless to resolve this crisis."

The Queen and Padme seemed to be sharing a knowing look. Finally, the Queen spoke. "We must keep our faith in the Republic."

With that the meeting was officially over, and everyone rose from their seats as Padme and the Queen fell into step beside each other, Anakin and Zelina followed behind.

"The day we stop believing democracy can work, is the day we lose it," the Queen said.

"Let's pray that day never comes," Padme said firmly.

"In the meantime we must consider your own safety," the Queen said.

"What is your suggestion Master Jedi?" the bearded man asked both Anakin and Zelina. Zelina was startled and flattered all at the same time.

_Master Jedi? Well that's a flattering mistake…it's nice to be mistaken for a Master when we're just padawans…I see Anakin is enjoying the mistake as well…_

Before either of us could say anything, Padme cut in. "Oh, Anakin and Zelina aren't Jedi yet. They're still Padawan learners."

_Ouch. My pride's hurt,_  Zelina thought.  _And I can see Anakin's is too. Uh oh, Ani's going to say something stupid and make an even bigger fool of himself, I can see that look in his eyes…_

"But I was  _thinking_ —" Padme started before Anakin cut her off.

"Hold on a minute," he protested.

Padme turned on him. "Excuse me! I was thinking I would stay in the lake country. There's some places up there that are very isolated—"

Anakin drew himself up to his full height as he put his hands on his hips, coming to a stop. " _Excuse me_."

"Someone's pride is hurt. Look out everyone, Anakin's getting serious over here," Zelina muttered under her breath. She didn't know if anyone heard her; she was too engrossed in the scene enfolding in front of her.

"I'm in charge of security here my lady," Anakin said firmly. Padme wasn't fazed.

"And this is my home, I know it very well, that is why we're here," Padme said slowly. "I think it would be wise if you took advantage of my knowledge in this instance."

Anakin was obviously trying to hold back his irritation as he looked anywhere but at her, gathering himself before forcing a stiff smile on his face and exhaling very slowly. "Sorry my lady."

"Padme seven, Anakin zip," Zelina mumbled under her breath, smirking a little. Anakin was definitely not winning here. He shot her a look, though Zelina only smiled at him innocently.

As the awkward silence passed, the Queen spoke again. "Perfect. It's settled then!" the Queen said cheerily.

Zelina decided that she liked the Queen right then and there.

* * *

"It's called Varykino," Padme told Zelina quietly. Zelina was currently staring openly at the beautiful lakeside building that they were all going to be staying at.

"It's amazing," Zelina said softly. She had seen a lot by now as a Jedi, but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate the truly breathtaking sights yet.

"You should see the inside," Padme said with a smile.

"I'm sure it's absolutely beautiful," Zelina said.

The boat reached the dock to the house and they all got off, some men taking the luggage. Zelina sighed. "It will be nice to finally be back in my Jedi clothes. I never realized how fond I was of those things," Zelina chuckled.

"And I believe me and you still have a little disagreement to settle," Anakin said breezily.

"Ah yes, the little spar session we discussed," Zelina chuckled. "I'd almost forgotten. So eager to lose, are we Ani?"

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Come on Zee: if I can beat you in a simple wrestling match, I can beat you in a lightsaber spar."

Zelina chuckled. "I was also dying of laughter when you pinned me, if you want to get technical with me."

Anakin shook his head. "How about later, after we've explored the house and we're changed."

"Deal."

Padme suddenly hooked her arm around Zelina's. "Come on, I'll show you your room," Padme said cheerily, smiling at them both. "I haven't forgotten you said that you two would share a room."

"Alright then Senator, lead the way," Zelina said in a mock professional voice.

Padme giggled. "It's just Padme."

"I know," Zelina said with a grin as Padme dragged her through the halls. Zelina admired all of the shimmering stone, the light streaming into the building, the fines and flowers everywhere…

It was beautiful here.

Padme came to a stop in front of a large wooden double door. "Here we go! Two beds, one big balcony, two refreshers, I think you're set. Your stuff should already be in there. My room's at the end of the hall on the left: I'm going to go get unpacked first, then we can take that tour," Padme said with a smile.

"Thank you Padme," Zelina said, watching her walk down the hall. She sighed once she was out of view, ignoring the fact that Anakin watched the spot where Padme had disappeared for several long moments as she walked through the doors. "Well come on Ani, might as well check out the new room."

Anakin shook himself, following Zelina into the room. They both admired the room, taking in the beds situated directly across from each other on opposite sides of the room. Zelina went over to the bed where her small bag was, pulling out her stuff. "Think you could be a little more subtle with Padme?" Zelina asked nonchalantly.

"What?" Anakin asked, thrown off.

"You're flirting with Padme," Zelina said simply, turning around. "It's rather obvious. Try being a little more subtle."

Anakin immediately became defensive. "What, are you jealous or something that I like her?" he asked sharply, eyes glinting in challenge.

_Actually, I'm extremely jealous, I'm dying of jealousy Anakin. She doesn't have the same feelings for you! How can you be so blind to what's right in front of you?_

"No, I'm just saying you might have a little more success if you would try being subtle. Just don't forget you already have a commitment to the Jedi Order," Zelina said, brushing off his attitude with ease, seemingly unfazed by it.

"You sound like Obi-Wan," Anakin muttered.

Zelina shook her head. "I'm just warning you ahead of time,  _before_  you do something stupid." Zelina paused by the refresher door, thinking for a moment. "Though I will say that  _I_  won't judge you if you do something stupid," she added before she slipped through the door to change.

* * *

Zelina came out of the refresher, pinning her hair up in a messy bun, her Padawan Braid hanging loose off to the side. She realized Anakin still had yet to put his tunic on and was standing bare-chested in the center of the room. Quickly, she averted her gaze, staring at the floor and trying to not think about how muscular he was underneath his tunic despite his scrawny appearance.

"Has Padme come back yet?" Zelina asked, hand trailing along her bed.

"No, not yet," Anakin replied. Zelina glanced up, watching him pull his shirt on.

"Well then, are you almost ready smooth talker?" Zelina teased.

Anakin sighed, giving her a look as he clipped his lightsaber onto his belt. "Yes, I'm ready. Come on Zee."

Zelina clipped her own lightsaber onto her belt, feeling its cool, smooth metal as she ran her fingertips along the handle. It had been quiet curious to many how her lightsaber was almost identical to Anakin's in its style. Though it was  _no_ mystery to Zelina and Obi-Wan why it was so similar.

Padme was waiting for them outside of their room having changed into a much more elegant dress of some deep red color. Zelina ignored the fact that Anakin was drinking Padme in as she gave Padme a small smile. "I believe we're ready for that tour now."

Padme glanced at Anakin. "Of course."

* * *

By the time that their tour was over, Zelina was sure that she would be able to find anything she needed in the place. She had also spotted several different ideal sparring spots. One of which, both she and Anakin were standing in right now: the patio right on the lakes edge, overlooking the water.

Padme was perched on the railing, watching them with amusement, excitement, and curiosity dancing in her eyes as both Zelina and Anakin stared each other down, each one waiting for the other's move. Anakin's blue lightsaber hummed gently, though Zelina's was still deactivated, still clipped to her belt. She liked the challenge of seeing how quickly she could draw her weapon while under attack, and that was why she had yet to draw it. She wouldn't until he moved.

Her heart pounding in excitement, Zelina decided to speed things up and took a step forward.

Just as she'd expected, she'd triggered a reaction from Anakin. He sprung forward immediately, and as soon as he took his own first step her lightsaber was off her belt and in her hand. The next moment, as Anakin's blue blade descended, Zelina's vivid violet blade came to life, blocking his blade before it could come too close. Zelina grinned at him.

"You got to be quicker than  _that_  Ani," Zelina said with a chuckle.

They both disengaged, circling each other for a moment. Zelina loosely swung her lightsaber in a slow circle, waiting for Anakin to make a move again.

He came right at her, trying a rather complex array of jabs and slashes against her.

_Always on the offensive Anakin. Then again, I'm not too fond of lack of action myself,_  Zelina thought, blocking his advances. She coaxed him forward, purposely leaving certain spots unguarded to try and lure him into a trap.

For a while, he didn't take the bait. He kept at it, back and forth, engaging her over and over as they constantly traded who had the upper hand in the match. Zelina had to chuckle a little when he pinned her against the railing a few feet away from Padme.

"Are you  _showing off_  Ani?" Zelina asked. Anakin scowled, and Zelina slipped away, just out of reach. She purposely left her left side 'unguarded.'

"What are you going to do if you lose to me, hmm?" she teased with a gentle smile.

This time, Anakin fell for it. He advanced, feigning to the right before striking out at her left. Zelina rolled away from his advance, coming back to back with him for a moment before she whipped around at the same time he did. However, when Anakin paused in his turn, her blade hovered under his chin. Zelina smiled at him.

"What do you know? I win," she said with a grin.

"I let you win," Anakin grumbled as he deactivated his lightsaber.

Zelina laughed. "Sure you did Ani, sure you did."

Obviously he was mad at her for beating him in front of Padme, but Zelina didn't mind. He would get over it. He'd find something he was better at than her and he'd feel better about it. That, or he would beat her in some other spar match and tell Padme all about it.

_Oh well, that's Anakin for you_ , she thought with vague amusement as Anakin stalked away, his pride hurt for the second time that day. She would go cheer him up later. Zelina shared a look with Padme, and they both giggled.

She was going to have  _a lot_  of fun here at Varykino.


	6. Feelings and The Force

Zelina's eyes fluttered open and she squinted lightly at the rays of sunshine that streamed into the room through the windows and glass double doors that lead to the balcony. With a small sigh, she pushed herself up, running a hand through her hair to pull the strands away from her face.

She sighed, her gaze automatically flickering over to the bed across the room. A small frown flittered across her face when she realized that Anakin wasn't there like her should be.

_Did I sleep in_ , she wondered, slipping out of her bed. Her bare feet brushed the cool stone surface as she untangled her Padawan braid from the strands of hair that had twined themselves messily to the beaded strand. Her eyes took in the fact that one of the balcony doors were slightly ajar, and she smiled.

_Anakin must be out on the balcony._

She made a quick trip to her side of the room's refresher, doing a quick clean up before she shruged on the simple gray shirt and darker gray pants and slipped out to the balcony.

It was much larger than Zelina had originally thought, spanning along a decent width on both sides of her. Pillars with vines and flowers wrapped around their cream stone lengths were evenly spaced along the edge of the balcony. A cream stone railing rimmed the edge of the balcony as well, and beyond it Zelina could see the lake stretching out from some point below the balcony, melding into the mountains across from her.

Anakin, just as she'd expected, was standing off to the side, hands clasped behind his back as he looked over the lake. Closer inspection revealed him to be trying—and failing—to meditate more or less. His rumpled light brown shirt seemed to have been thrown off as an afterthought, and his feet were bare like Zelina's were.

With a small smile, Zelina quietly came up beside him, sure that he could sense her approach. She let her gaze roam the lake and occasionally flicker towards Anakin's face. To any normal onlooker, he seemed at peace and truly lost in his meditation; Zelina, however, could see the slight crease of frustration as he struggled with the meditation. Her smile grew slightly as she let herself relax a little beside him.

"Any luck this morning?" she asked him softly, her gaze remaining on the lake and mountains sprawled out before them.

Anakin gave a small sigh, his eyes remaining closed. "None."

She repressed a soft laugh, shaking her head just slightly. Anakin frowned when he sensed her amusement, but she simply turned away from the scenery to face him. "Why don't we try something else then?" she said seriously.

Anakin cracked an eye open, his gaze curious and inquiring. She couldn't help but smile a little more at the look, and he sighed in resignation. "All right then; what are you thinking?"

She nodded towards the spot in the middle of the balcony. "We're going to try doing it together."

Anakin sighed again, though Zelina didn't miss the underlying tone of resentment in the sound. "I know that's basics and you think your above it, but it will help you."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "That's what Obi-Wan says."

Zelina eyed him in amusement. "I'm also well aware that Obi-Wan takes a different approach to meditation than you do. Come on, just go with it and see how it works out with me."

Anakin shook his head a little. "Alright, alright, I'll try it," he said, following her to the middle of the balcony. Zelina settled down on the ground, cross legged with her back to the lake. Anakin was the one struggling with the meditation, so she would give him the view.

As he settled down across from her, his gaze skeptical, Zelina smiled once more. "I don't think I have to tell you how to start…or do I?" she teased lightly.

He rolled his eyes once more before shutting them again. Zelina watched him slowly relax himself the best he could before she did the same at a much quicker rate.

The familiar sensation of being able to sense the world around her washed over Zelina, and she smiled a little, stretching out her senses even further. She sensed Anakin in front of her, struggling to find his center. Too many conflicting thoughts swirled around in his mind for him to fully relax, which tended to be his problem. He was too much of an active person to slow down and meditate.

She stretched out her senses towards Anakin, letting her conscious brush against his own. He stiffened at the contact, drawing away from her at first. She simply waited patiently for him to recognize her presence. Slowly, Anakin opened himself up to her, and just as carefully she let her presence wrap around his, sending soothing pulses towards him at the same time through the Force. She smiled as she sensed him relax and gently began to coax him out of his shell, helping him become aware of his surroundings.

Eventually, Zelina sensed that Anakin had found himself deeply immersed in the Force, receiving pulses of gratitude from him through the Force. Zelina let her mind wander to all of her surroundings when she was sure he was fine on his own again, falling into the soothing rhythms of the Force.

After a lengthy period of time, Zelina found herself slipping into a familiar state of mind. The Force drew her in elsewhere, pulling her away from the balcony with Anakin and somewhere else entirely.

It was dark, and there was pain. Not physical pain, but emotional.

" _Why did you go sweetheart? Why didn't you even look back? Not once? I've lost everything, there's nothing left…"_

There was several moments Zelina experienced a sudden sensation of being unable to breath before the vision faded and she came back to herself. She could feel concern wafting towards her from Anakin as she pulled herself out of her meditation with a sigh, brushing herself off.

Anakin's eyes cracked open, looking at her with worry. "Are you alright?"

Zelina smiled a little and put a hand on his knee. "You're not the only one having dreams Ani. I've had my fair share of visions lately."

He frowned, standing up with her. "Of..?"

She glanced at him as she leaned against the railing. "My father."

Anakin's eyebrows raised as he joined her. "You too?" As she nodded in confirmation, Anakin seemed lost in thought for a few moments. "You don't think that something's happening back home, do you?"

Zelina sighed, absentmindedly twirling her Padawan braid. "I can't be sure…it's not like we can do much though: we're here on Naboo protecting Padme. Besides, if something's happening, I'm sure they're alright," she added soothingly. If Anakin's nightmares were hindering his sleep as much as she'd heard, then it was best for him to find some sort of peace of mind. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on: I think Padme might be up by now."

* * *

"I see Anakin's gotten over his loss from yesterday."

Padme and Zelina were walking together down one of the many halls of Varykino. Anakin had run off to get something from the bedroom, so the two found themselves with some private time. As Padme walked, her rainbow colored dress trailed behind her. It was defiantly a dress that Zelina would own if she had the money and ability to.

Zelina chuckled a little. "Yeah, he can't stay mad at me for long.  _Especially_  with  _so_  much on his mind," she said with a small laugh.

Padme rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, I'd hoped that such thoughts wouldn't still be there after a few days, though he seems just as persistent as ever."

"That's the way Anakin is Padme; he doesn't give up easily. He's quite fond of you, you know. I haven't seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you," Zelina said, a wisp of longing somehow leaking into her voice.

Padme glanced at her. "And I've seen the way  _you_ look at  _him_. You never really answered my question the other day Zelina, though I think that's all the answer I need. I do hope you're not bothered by all of the attention Anakin's been giving me; I wish he didn't give me so much attention, just so you know."

Zelina gave her a small yet somewhat tight smile. "It's fine Padme; I don't hold anything against you."

"That's good to know," Padme said gently. Anakin turned the corner ahead of them, and the conversation abruptly ended.

He smiled as he approached the two. "Miss me?" he asked slyly.

"Not at all," Zelina said smoothly, somehow managing a straight face.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Why thank you Zee, it's nice to know you two care."

"You're welcome," Zelina said cheerily.

Anakin held his arm out for Padme. "May I escort the lady to…well…wherever you're taking us?" he chuckled.

Padme smiled lightly at him. "The ballroom. Zelina told me she's never learned how to ballroom dance, so I thought I'd give her a few lessons. You never know, it could come in handy."

Anakin gave a slight grimace. "Ah, dancing…shall I leave you two alone to do your thing then?"

Padme shook her head. "No, we'll need you to help us! How can I show her to ballroom dance if she doesn't have a partner?"

Zelina narrowed her eyes slightly at Padme. It sounded like she was up to something. Was she trying to set Anakin up with Zelina?

Anakin sighed. "As you wish my lady. I guess I'll play along."

Padme smiled, taking his arm. "Don't worry, it'll be fun."

Zelina chuckled a little. "Yes, dancing is one of the many ways to a woman's heart."

That little detail seemed to catch his attention, though Zelina pretended to be oblivious to the gleam that came into his eyes as she followed along behind the two. Through the Force she could feel how relaxed Anakin was with Padme, how happy he was. Though she could also sense his frustration and longing, his want to be with her and desire to prove himself good enough for her. However, despite his frustrations, he was still overjoyed to be with Padme.

It actually made Zelina glad to see Anakin so happy. She wished she could see him this happy more often...

"Here we go," Padme said cheerily, bringing Zelina out of her thoughts. Zelina looked around the large, gleaming stone ballroom in admiration. It was beautiful, like almost everything else in the place. Padme got Zelina's attention once more after she lightly touched Zelina's shoulder. "How about Anakin and I show you what to do first?"

Zelina shrugged. "That's fine by me."

Padme smiled. "Alright then."

As she went over into a corner to start the music, Zelina turned to Anakin. "I never thought I'd see you agree to ballroom dancing Ani. I figured you'd try to squirm away and go tinker with any random droid you could find."

Anakin shrugged. "I'll try it, I guess."

Zelina grinned. "You're just doing it because Padme asked you to."

Anakin blushed. "No, I'm being helpful."

Zelina rolled her eyes. "Of course you are Ani."

Music started to waft through the air around them, filling the large ballroom with its beautiful tunes. Padme returned to their side, tugging Anakin away towards the center of the room. "All right, so the first thing you'll do at a  _formal_  dance would be to curtsy to your partner. The boy will boy of course," Padme said lightly, curtsying for Anakin. He bowed, his eyes never leaving Padme once.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you how you need to be while you're dancing," Padme said with a smile. Anakin took her hand in his, the other placed carefully on her waist as Padme put her free hand on his shoulder. "And no matter how badly you want to lead, you have to let your partner lead. It's his job to."

Zelina watched with a small smile as Anakin smoothly lead Padme through the dance steps that she called out. Eventually, the pattern became natural, and Padme stopped calling out the steps. Zelina watched as the two got lost in the dance with each other. Anakin was smiling softly, staring intently into Padme's eyes as she returned the gaze, a blush creeping up in her features. It was in that moment that Zelina realized that perhaps Padme did have feelings for Anakin as well. It was just taking the woman a while to realize that.

Padme ended her demonstration within a few moments of Zelina's realization, turning away from Anakin to face Zelina once more. "Do you think you've got it?"

Zelina smiled a little. "Yes, I believe so."

Padme returned her small smile, stepping away and gesturing towards Anakin. "Let's see it then."

Zelina sighed, shaking her head. "Why did I agree to this again?" she asked softly.

Anakin chuckled at Zelina, taking her hand. "Because you're a kind person and you don't know how to say no."

Zelina sighed. "I don't know how to say no to certain people."

"That's probably something you need to learn to do," Anakin chuckled. Zelina kept her face as impassive as she could as Anakin placed his hand on her waist. He started to lead her across the floor the moment that she placed her hand on his shoulder. Zelina smiled a little at him.

"Loosen up Ani, what's got you so tense?" she asked him quietly.

Anakin gave a small shrug. "Nothing much…it was just nice to…" he trailed off, seeming to decide it was better not to speak.

"It was nice to dance with Padme, and you're upset that it had to end?" Zelina asked knowingly.

Anakin smiled at her. "You know me too well Zee."

"It's not hard to tell with you Ani," she said with a light chuckle. "You can't hide anything from me," she teased.

"Should that disturb me?" Anakin asked lightly.

"Nah, I'll just blackmail you for the rest of your life, it's nothing much," Zelina teased.

Anakin shook his head, laughing. "I guess that's not so bad. You couldn't bring yourself to blackmail me."

"I don't know…" Zelina said mischievously.

Anakin eyed her suspiciously. "I'll have to remember to keep my eye on you…"

"You should already know that by now."

Anakin brought them to a slow and graceful stop, smiling down at her. "I think you've got it by now."

Zelina chuckled. "Yeah, I think I do too."

Anakin gently let her go, bowing politely. "Thank you for the dance my lady," he said with a grin.

"It was my pleasure," Zelina said smoothly, curtsying.

Anakin smiled and Padme came up beside the two. "What do you two say to a little boat ride on the lake?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm game. Anything to keep us occupied," Zelina chuckled.

Anakin nodded in agreement. "What are we waiting for?"

Zelina smiled, though at the same time something nagged at the back of her mind. It was a feeling that said things were going to start to change.


	7. The Kiss

" _Hey!_ "

The peaceful silence that had settled over the lake shattered in the drop of a hat. Zelina erupted in a fit of giggles, as did Padme, while the currently soaking wet Anakin glowered at them both.

"What was that for?" he demanded, though as both girls continued to laugh his hard edge softened and a blush began to creep up his face. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to get rid of some of the water that was currently dripping from the strands of hair that stuck to each other and his forehead.

"Just to break the ice," Zelina said with a laugh, smiling innocently at him.

"Well, considering I'm already wet, I have nothing against tipping this little boat over and dumping us all into the water." As he spoke, his eyes danced with laughter. Zelina didn't doubt him for a moment, immediately putting on the most serious face she could muster.

"I don't think that's the best idea. Padme's dress won't allow for that to happen and for her to remain decent for the public," she said seriously.

Padme shook her head vigorously. "Not at all. Getting soaked is the last thing that should happen to me right now."

"There, two to one. Your revenge will have to wait till later Ani," Zelina laughed.

"Besides, aren't Jedi supposed to refrain from acting in revenge?" Padme chipped in.

Anakin stared at the two of them. "Are you two working together against me or something? If so, I demand we get another guy here so that the odds can even out some."

"Nope, you're not allowed backup, you have to work with what you've got," Zelina said cheerily.

"Oh, and by the way, there's a difference between getting revenge, and getting even…for example."

His tone of voice should have been her first warning, but for once, Zelina wasn't fast enough. Anakin sent a decent sized splash of water towards Zelina, getting her right in the face. She sputtered from shock while Anakin roared with laughter, Padme trying to stifle her own laughter and failing miserably to do so.

"There. Now we're even," Anakin chuckled.

"Don't think this is over Skywalker," Zelina said teasingly.

"I wouldn't dream of it Du'ahn," he shot back with a grin. Padme put her hands up defensively.

"So long as I don't get caught in the middle, I don't mind what you two do," she laughed.

"Good, because it might just get ugly," Zelina laughed.

"Of course I'll win considering I'm older and more experience," Anakin said smoothly. Zelina shot him a look.

"Not by much!" she protested.

"I'm twenty and your sixteen. That's four years difference."

Zelina scowled. "I'll be seventeen in a few days Ani, that's only three years difference."

"Your birthday is coming up?" Padme asked curiously.

Zelina nodded. "Yes, it is. Four days I believe. It's not that far away at all."

Padme's eyes sparkled. "We'll have to celebrate it while we're here."

Zelina blushed. "No, you don't need to make a big fuss over it, really."

Anakin chuckled from his seat at the front end of the boat. "You're always making a big deal out of my birthday. Now it's our turn to make a big deal out of yours. I'm up for whatever you come up with Padme," He said with a grin.

Zelina groaned. "Alright, fine, you've got me, I surrender! Do whatever you want, I don't care."

Padme laughed a little more before she glanced up at the sky. "It's getting late. We should probably head back."

"Already?" Zelina asked with a small pout. "But we were just starting to have some  _fun_!"

With the last word she splashed some more water Anakin's way which, this time, he successfully dodged. Padme laughed.

"I think if we stay out here any longer one of you two is going to drown the other!" she laughed.

"Touché," Zelina chuckled. "Alright then, we can head back. I'm starting to get a little hungry anyway."

"You and your stomach Zee," Anakin said, rolling his eyes.

"I wouldn't talk there Ani, I've seen you eat several plates in once setting. I don't eat nearly as much as you do!"

Anakin blushed as Padme stifled another laugh. "That's not fair."

"Hey, you brought apatites into this, it's your own doing."

Anakin grumbled something indecipherable under his breath, and Zelina stuck her tongue out at him. "You are such a sore loser."

"Whatever," he said with a grin, leaning backwards.

"Don't lean over too far Anakin, I'd hate to see you get any wetter than you already are," Zelina quipped. He simply grinned at her and splashed more water at her.

"You two are the most amusing people I think I have ever been around," Padme mused.

Zelina laughed. "You should see Obi-Wan and him get into it one of these days then.  _That_  is amusing. The sarcasm and wit flies faster than blaster bolts."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Alright, I think that's enough about me for a day."

"What, afraid we're going to result to embarrassing stories, are we Ani?"

"If you switch to some of the stories I  _know_  you want to bring up, then I will start chatting about some of the many I have on you Zee."

Zelina blushed. "Alright, I give, don't shoot."

"That's what I thought."

Zelina shook her head with a small grin, glancing over at Padme. "We'll behave at dinner, I swear Padme."

"Well, I'm not making any promises," Anakin chipped in.

Padme shook her head. "Oh, the dinner time amusement would be quiet welcome. I mean it when I say that you two are amusing. It's definitely helping the day's go by easier. It's keeping me from being bored."

"Same here," Zelina chuckled. "I think we squabble just to keep from being bored ourselves."

"Yes Zee, that is definitely the reason."

"You stay out of this," Zelina teased.

"Nope. I'll talk all I want."

"You could talk enough to make a Hutt want to fast for several weeks."

"What?"

"Nothing Ani."

"Children, children, order!" Padme laughed. "We're almost to the docks, do you think you two can behave long enough to reach them?"

"No," they both said in unison.

Padme laughed. "Well please, at least try," Padme laughed.

"Alright, fine, if you insist my lady," Anakin said, obviously backing down.

"We'll see how long that lasts," Zelina joked.

"Zelina," Padme warned in a teasing way.

"Yes ma'am," Zelina said in the most angelic voice she could muster.

* * *

Miraculously, their silence  _did_  in fact last to the docks. Anakin was the first to get out, offering his hand to help Padme out of the boat. Zelina remained as indifferent as she could to the look that Anakin had fixed her with, helping herself out of the boat as they became lost in some deep conversation.

She shoved down a pang of jealousy, turning to the people that were tending to the boat. "Here, let me help you with that," she said earnestly, leaning down to pick up one of the rope strands they were using to tie the boat to the docks.

"Oh, you don't need to do that miss," one of the men said.

Zelina shook her head. "No, I want to, it's alright."

He smiled at her. "Thank you for the help."

"It's no problem," she said, returning his smile.

Once the boat was tied down, Zelina stood back up, glancing around. Padme and Anakin had both disappeared. She frowned, glancing around. Where had those two disappeared to?

_I hope Anakin doesn't try anything stupid_ , Zelina thought with a hint of amusement.

Stretching out and feeling around with the Force, Zelina prodded around, trying to find Anakin. After a few moments of searching, she located both Padme and him. They were making their way to one of the back patio's that overlooked the lake.

Zelina sighed.  _I better catch up to them…_

She navigated through the now mostly familiar halls of the building, eventually finding the hall that they had gone down not moments before. As she came to the end of the short hall, she saw the two of them standing side by side, both of them leaning on the railing. Anakin was mindlessly picking at something as he listened to whatever Padme was saying. Zelina smiled a little. Only Anakin could look so uninterested when he was actually clinging onto every word that was being said.

As she drew closer she could finally hear what they were saying.

"I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating…and it gets everywhere," Anakin said, pitching whatever he'd had in his hands away into the water. Zelina grinned at the statement. Sand definitely could get annoying when one lived on Tatooine.

Her smile, however, evaporated when she saw that now all-too-familiar look cross his face. He bit his lip before apparently decided to dive headfirst into whatever he was thinking.

"But not like here. Here everything's…soft…and smooth." Hesitantly yet steadily, Anakin reached out and brushed two fingers from Padme's arm and down her exposed back.

Zelina's throat clogged and she looked away. Part of her wanted to barge in on the moment, to interrupt it before it could progress any farther.

_Padme won't let him get any further than this though. She's not comfortable with all the attention he keeps giving her…the last time I talked to her about it she wasn't anyway…_

Zelina looked back on the scene in time to catch the entranced look in both of their eyes. It looked like Anakin was almost afraid to hope that this time it would work at the same time he was sure that this time he was going to get results. Padme seemed just as lost in those eyes as Zelina got on a daily basis.

Before her brain could register what was happening, Anakin smiled, slowly leaned in, and kissed Padme passionately. Padme didn't pull away.

The emotional pain hit Zelina like a wave, striking through her heart like a spike. Tears burned her eyes and she looked away, holding back the small gasp that threatened to pour through what little control she had left.

Instead of standing in the middle of the hall like an idiot, she shuffled off to the side, leaning her head against the wall and closing her eyes, trying to regain some control over herself. Her breathing had picked up as she struggled not to sob.

_Stop! Stop, stop, stop! What about me? How long have I wanted you to kiss_ _**me** _ _like that Ani? How long have I wished you looked at me like that? How long have I been here for you, how long have I stuck up for you, how long have I been around you? Why her and **not**   **me**?_

Her eyes were trained on the two in front of her, and she couldn't seem to look away no matter how much it hurt her. "Why not me?" she whispered out loud, wiping away a tear that made it through her thin control.

Suddenly Padme jerked away, as if she had suddenly been brought back to reality. "No! I shouldn't have done that," she said firmly, turning away from Anakin and keeping her gaze firmly on the lake in front of them.

The hurt and rejection on Anakin's face was clear, and a strong pang went through Zelina as she took in that look. It hurt her to see him in pain…

"I'm sorry," Anakin said. Though is tone was forced and stiff, Zelina could hear the levels of emotional pain thick in his voice.

Zelina shook her head to try and bring some order back to her thoughts. She couldn't stand to be here one moment longer.

With one last frantic wipe at her eyes, Zelina turned around and briskly made her way to the room she shared with Anakin.

* * *

Zelina was remaking her bed for the umpteenth time when she suddenly stiffened. Anakin was coming. She could sense his presence as he approached.

The door hissed open, and Zelina kept her back to him as Anakin entered the room. His grim mood was suffocating, worsening Zelina's own. Though at the same time, she could also sense the elation that lingered even now from his kiss with Padme.

Zelina, at this point, didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry.

Anakin seemed to start a little when he spotted Zelina, though she didn't turn. "Oh, there you are…I…we were wondering where you went," Anakin said. Zelina didn't miss the momentary waver in his tone.

Zelina straightened her blankets on the bed, pretending to be focused on getting it nice and neat. "I was beginning to think you and Padme had been kidnapped and I'd have to come and rescue you two."

_Wow…somehow I can still crack a joke, even when I'm hurt._

She paused when Anakin didn't say anything. The silence and the sudden intensity of his hurt from earlier was what alarmed her. She glanced up at him as he collapsed onto the edge of his bed, glaring over into one of the corners with a look of hurt and anger that only Anakin could accomplish. You'd think the corner had just insulted his mother.

"Hey…" Zelina said gently, pushing aside her own hurt as she crossed the room and sat beside him. "What's wrong?"

_His needs before mine. Every time,_ Zelina thought to herself softly. It had always been that way, and it wasn't about to change. She cared about him too much to put her own needs above his.

Anakin turned his gaze on her, and the intensity of the emotions he was feeling in his eyes almost threw her. "What am I doing wrong?" he suddenly asked, his voice just slightly wavering at the end. "No matter what I do, she keeps turning me away. I just…" he trailed off, but she understood perfectly.

Zelina put her arm around him, rubbing his shoulder gently as he put his head on her shoulder with a resigned sigh. "I'm sure she has her reasons Anakin…whatever they are."

She felt him tremble a little from the emotion he was trying to keep locked inside before he let out a slow breathe. "I just wish I was good enough for her…that she wouldn't keep turning me away…"

Zelina closed her eyes.  _I know how you feel Anakin…believe me, I do…you're not alone._

"It's alright Ani…things will work out…I promise," Zelina said quietly.

For the sake of his pride, Zelina pretended not to notice the tears she felt spot her shoulder. She just squeezed his shoulder a little tighter in reassurance, giving him all the time and comfort he needed.


	8. Birthday Wishes

He stroked a finger down Zelina's cheek, their breath mingling, so close to each other she could feel the magnetic pull towards him.

"Are you sure?" she whispered, wanting to be positive that this was not a joke.

He smiled down at her, twisting a strand of her hair around his finger as he leaned in a little closer. "Of course I'm sure…I've made up my mind and I'm not going back…"

Zelina's breath caught in her throat as she stared into his dazzling blue eyes just before he smirked, leaning in to close the small distance between them. Her eyes drooped closed and she sighed, his name ready to spill off of her lips if she could find the strength to speak before he kissed her.

She felt someone poke her side.

"Zee, wake up."

Zelina groaned, rolling over, struggling to hang on to the image in her head as she received two more jabs in the side.

"Zee, come on, get up."

"Five more minutes," Zelina groaned. If she could just get that much more time, she could finish her little fantasy dream on her own.

Several more pokes made her growl and swipe at the hand jabbing into her sides.

"Don't make me levitate you out of this bed Zee, I'll do it, and I will drop you on the floor."

"Of course you will Ani," Zelina mumbled, burying her face into her pillow. Her friend might be strong with the Force, but Zelina knew that he had problems focusing all that potential.

"Alright Zee, I warned you…" Anakin called as he drifted away. Zelina felt a tingle of premonition moments before she found that the bed wasn't beneath her anymore.

Her eyes snapped open at the same moment she dropped to the floor with a thud.

"Anakin!" she shouted, glaring at him as she struggled to untangle herself from the blanket. She should have known he would use a Force Push to get her out of the bed.

Anakin was doubled over with laughter. "Happy birthday Zee," he chuckled, whipping a tear from his eye as he straightened up.

Zelina sighed and laid back down on the floor. "Why thank you so much Ani," she said sarcastically as she pulled the blankets away. "What a lovely way to wake up on my birthday."

Anakin snickered, holding out a hand and hoisting her to her feet. "You're welcome Zee."

Zelina rubbed her eyes with a sigh, blinking up at him blearily. "What time is it?"

"Time for breakfast. I'm starved, but Padme insists we wait on you. So I decided to speed things up a little," he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Zelina rolled her eyes, hand already on the refresher door. "Alright, alright, I'll be right down."

Anakin smiled. "Good, I don't know how much longer I can wait!"

Zelina laughed, shaking her head. "Love you too Ani."

* * *

Just as she said she would, Zelina was clean and awake, strolling into the dining room with a smile. Padme beamed when she saw her.

"You're awake! Happy birthday Zelina," Padme said, standing up from her seat to give Zelina a tight hug.

"Yes, well, I was kind of pushed out of bed, I couldn't really keep sleeping," Zelina snickered.

Padme cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Anakin said he was just going to check on you," she said, turning around to give Anakin an accusing glare.

Anakin held his hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm hungry! And I did still wish her happy birthday once she was awake." Before Padme could scold him any further, Anakin grinned at Zelina. "How's it feel to be seventeen Zelina?"

"One year away from eighteen," she said with a smile.

Padme gestured towards the table. "Well come on, let's eat before Anakin dies of starvation over there."

"Hey," Anakin protested.

"I don't want to hear it Ani, you pushed me out of bed this morning; you're going to get all of the teasing that we see fit."

He groaned, causing Padme to laugh. "Hey, you brought it on yourself."

He shook his head. "I was just hungry…"

Both girls simply laughed.

* * *

"Before we go any farther; Zelina, you're coming with me!"

Zelina raised her eyebrows, glancing at Anakin. He simply shrugged. "What are you going to do?" Zelina asked Padme warily. They had gone through a rather normal day so far, though now dusk was approaching, the day coming to a close. What could Padme possibly have up her sleeve?

Padme chuckled, lacing her arm in Zelina's. "We're going to get you something nice to wear for the rest of your birthday."

"Um…" Zelina said slowly. "You really don't have to…and the Jedi are supposed to be humble and not get extravagant or anything, I really shouldn't…"

_Wait what_ , Zelina thought to herself.  _Am I even sure about that? I'm just desperate for an excuse I guess…_

Padme shook her head. "I don't care; you're going to get nice and dressed up tonight. It's your birthday: we're going to spoil you."

"You really shouldn't…" Zelina said, sending a backwards glance of 'help' at Anakin.

The little traitor grinned and waved as Padme dragged her away.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll love what I have in mind," Padme exclaimed.

Zelina sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "Alright then…"

Padme laughed. "Zelina, you'd think I was dragging you to your death!"

"I'm sorry! I just don't like getting dressed up…" Zelina said shyly.

"Well you'll enjoy this, I promise you," Padme said as she pulled Zelina into her bedroom. She immediately disappeared into her closet, searching for something.

"Sit down in front of the mirror," Padme called. "I'll be right out."

"Sitting!" Zelina called. She studied herself in the mirror for the first time in a long time. Her hair had grown darker and her features were starting to sharpen. Her eyes had grown brighter, and her skin had a healthy tan color. She smiled a little at herself, twirling the Padawan braid absentmindedly as she always did when she thought.

Padme appeared out of the closet, putting the dress and shoes she'd picked out on the dress as she came up behind her. "I don't think you need much make-up. You're very beautiful without it."

"Thank you," Zelina said, smiling shyly.

Padme pulled her hair back, brushing it out with her fingers. "I have the perfect way to put your hair up. You're going to be absolutely stunning. Maybe even Anakin will be at a loss for words this time."

Zelina laughed. "Yes, well, I believe if he'll be looking at anyone, it'll be you," Zelina told her knowingly.

Padme sighed. "Have a little faith Zelina, you never know." She picked up a brush and started to run it gently through her hair, smoothing it out.

Zelina sighed, eyes wandering to the hands that lay clasped in her lap. Padme pulled the Padawan braid into the hair she'd pulled into the back. "I'm guessing I can't undo this?" Padme asked.

"No, you can't," Zelina said with a small smile. "Sorry but you're going to have to work around it."

Padme smiled. "Don't worry, I have an idea."

Zelina chuckled. "Why does that frighten me?"

Padme laughed. "I'm just hoping you have enough hair for me to do it…"

"Don't ask me. You're the one doing all of this, you're the one with the vision."

Padme rolled her eyes. "Am I going to have to get you to behave like I do Anakin?"

Zelina grinned evilly. "I'm not spellbound by you: good luck."

Padme chuckled. "Hush, I can't focus."

Soon, Padme had finished her hair, having pulled two strands of her hair back and braided them, setting the braids so that they made a halo around her head. Zelina's Padawan braid was hidden inside the right braid, completely out of sight, and the rest of her hair cascaded down her back. She had powdered on a light foundation and blush, put light blue eye shadow on her, and applied a light layer of mascara on as well. Now she was getting ready to get her fitted into the dress.

Zelina stared at the deep, midnight blue dress that Padme had picked out for her, mesmerized. "Oh Padme…I can't wear this."

Padme smiled. "I insist. Go on, try it on."

Shaking her head in wonder, Zelina tenderly picked up the dress, spellbound by the way that the light made it seem to shimmer and ripple like water. Changing in the closet, Zelina was careful not to mess up Padme's hard work on her hair or makeup. She gently adjusted the bell style sleeves and ran her hand along the surplice necking. She shifted the fishtail train, admiring the bustle and draping down the length of the dress.

It was absolutely stunning.

"Padme…I don't know what to say…this is amazing," Zelina said softly, stepping out of the closet.

Padme grinned, taking her in as she handed Zelina the shoes. "You look magnificent."

Zelina blushed. "Thank you…I don't regret letting you dress me up," Zelina said with a laugh.

Padme laughed as well, giving her a quick hug. "I'll get dressed and then we'll go downstairs and surprise Anakin. How about that?"

Zelina's blush deepened and she felt herself heat up considerably. Trying to think of Anakin's reaction was nerve-racking. "That sounds great."

* * *

Anakin sighed, hands clasped behind his back as he waited at the end of the hall for the girls to finish. Why was it taking so long? Shouldn't they be done by now?

He heard the door down the end of the hall slide open, and their voices floated towards him. He could hear Padme shush Zelina, and smiled a little. Apparently they wanted to surprise him.

_Alright then, I can play along_ , he thought, keeping his back to them as they approached. He waited until he believed they were close enough to turn around.

He had to look twice. There was no way…

Anakin took her in from head to toe, utterly speechless. She looked amazing…gorgeous…he'd never seen her like this and he had to admit it wasn't an image he was going to forget. Perhaps now every time he looked at her he'd see her in this exquisite dress.

Zelina blushed under his gaze, casting his eyes down. He gently took her hand and kissed it gently, amused when he saw that the action caused her to blush even deeper. "You look absolutely gorgeous."

His eyes wandered over to Padme, who he noticed dressed up much simpler. She still looked absolutely amazing though. They both did.

"Thank you," Zelina said quietly. Anakin realized she was slightly trembling, though he couldn't fathom why. Was she cold?

Padme smiled at the two. "Well come on, to the ballroom we go. We're going to put those dancing skills to good use!"

Anakin offered both arms to the two girls, who both accepted the offer gracefully. Instead of his eyes trained on Padme though, he couldn't help but continuously glance at Zelina. He couldn't get over how stunning she looked.

* * *

When they had arrived in the ballroom, Padme broke away and scurried off to start the music. "The birthday girl gets the first dance!" she called over her shoulder as she left.

Zelina turned back to Anakin, smiling sheepishly. "Well, I guess I'll be taking another dance from you," she chuckled.

Anakin smiled at her, a smile that caused a warm feeling to go through her. "I'd be honored to give you the first dance."

_I really have to figure out how to control all this blushing_ , Zelina thought to herself as Anakin took her hand and gently placed a hand on her waist. The music started, and he began to gently lead her along the floor.

"You look amazing," Anakin told her. She laughed a little.

"Yes, I know, you told me…Padme's to thank, she did everything. I'm just standing here trying to look pretty," she joked lightly.

Anakin laughed as well. "You're doing perfect then, if that's the case."

Zelina found herself lost in his eyes, entranced and unable to look away.

_It must be something in the air_ , Zelina thought.

"Are you having a good birthday?" Anakin asked her.

She nodded, believing her voice would betray her emotions if she spoke.

Anakin chuckled a little. "I think this is the quietest I've ever seen you Zelina."

Her heart skipped a beat when he said her full name. They hardly ever used each other's full names. They only used their full names whenever they were being very serious or wanted to get the other's attention. Zelina tended to use it whenever she was finding herself rather attracted to Anakin at the moment too, but she didn't want to get her hopes up and begin to think that was the case with him right now.

She shrugged as nonchalantly as she could. "Oh…I just don't know what to say. This is all really amazing," Zelina said quietly.

Anakin laugh quietly. "Yes, it is isn't it?"

The music began to slow, and Anakin pulled her a little closer. She sighed, putting her head on his shoulder and enjoying the warmth that he emitted. If she wanted to, she could fall asleep right here in his arms…

Anakin was staring off somewhere, lost in thought. Zelina wished she knew what he was thinking about. She wished he would open up and tell her what was running through his mind.

The music drew to a gradual and beautiful close, and Zelina reluctantly pulled away. Anakin was glancing around the room.

"I wonder where Padme went," he said with a frown. Zelina glanced around, realizing that Padme was in fact missing from the large ball room. Zelina smiled a little.

"I'm sure she ran off to straighten up some small detail. She's trying really hard to make this a wonderful birthday. I'm going to owe her my life at this rate," she laughed.

Anakin's frown melted into a smile at her lighthearted mood and he offered her his arm. "Well then, I guess we'll just have to wait for her to come back."

Zelina took his arm somewhat reverently, staring at the large glass doors at the end of the ballroom that lead to one of the many patios. "Do you think the stars are out yet?"

Anakin began to lead her towards the patio. "Yes, they should be. Do you want to go look?"

"Of course. It's a nice way to pass the time. Besides, when was the last time you stopped and looked up at the stars?"

Anakin seriously thought for a moment before he answered. "A  _long_  time truthfully."

Zelina smiled as they walked onto the patio, the warm Naboo breeze ruffling her hair and dress. "Well then this will be good for you," she said lightly.

Just as Anakin had said, the stars were out, and in full force too. They were everywhere, dotting the night sky. Zelina looked up in wonder, smiling softly as they made their way to the railing along the edge of the patio. She turned around, somewhat sitting on the railing as she stared up at the sky, absentmindedly fiddling with her dress.

"I love seeing the stars out like this. It's a breathtaking sight. Not one you see on Coruscant either," she said, her eyes never wavering from the sky.

"Don't you think it's better to be up in the stars?" Anakin asked sincerely.

Zelina shrugged. "Looking up at them from the surface or up among them, I think it's dazzling either way…I don't think I'll ever get over it."

Anakin sighed a little. "I think I've started to."

Zelina looked at him in shock. "Really? Mister I'm going to visit every star and planet in the galaxy growing tired of seeing the stars?"

Anakin laughed. "When you put it that way…"

She smiled at him. "I remember when you used to talk about that all the time Anakin. We'd sit out back at your house and talk about all the different places we could travel…"

Anakin shook his head. "And it would turn into a competition of who could name the most planets? Yes, I remember."

They both shared a laugh for a moment before the mood sobered again. Zelina sighed. "We need more moments like this…just you and me and no worries about anything else…I've missed this…a lot."

"We could do it more often if we tried I think," Anakin said sincerely. Her smile grew, her eyes softening.

"I'd like that…" she said gently.

Once more she found herself lost in Anakin's eyes, except this time, he held her gaze too. A comfortable silence fell over the two as they simple gazed at each other, the air around them crackling with the intensity of the emotions they were both experiencing. Dimly, she remembered the dream she'd had before she'd woken up, wondering if it could have possibly been more than a dream.

Something shifted in Anakin's eyes and Zelina felt her heart stop, her breath disappearing as his gaze intensified and he got just a little closer. Her heartbeat picked up to a rapid pace. Was this really happening? Was it really? Had she fallen asleep? Was she dreaming again?

He got slightly closer, and her entire body went numb from excitement.  _Yes, yes, yes_ , her mind was singing. He got so close she could feel his breath on her skin.  _Please…_

Padme's voice broke the spell, echoing across the ballroom as she called for them. "Anakin? Zelina? Where did you two go? Dinner's waiting for us!"

Zelina let her gaze drop to her feet as Anakin straightened up. "Coming!" he called back. Gently, he put a hand on Zelina's back. "Come on, we better get inside before she drags us in."

Zelina managed a weak smile. "Yeah, we don't want to keep her waiting."

_I guess it was just a dream after all…_


	9. Frolicking

It was early the next morning, while everyone was still asleep, that Zelina slipped out of bed, taking care not to wake Anakin. She gathered up a change of clothes, padding softly across the floor and out the door.

She'd decided that she was going to take a little swim this morning in her pajamas before anyone was up. She needed the alone time. She needed to clear her head. And the lake Padme had mentioned last night with all of the waterfalls sounded like the perfect place to go.

As she made her way to the lakeside meadow that had been one of the topics of the night before, she reflected on how the rest of her birthday had played out.

The dinner that had been prepared had been absolutely amazing, though to Zelina it had been somewhat tainted by the fact that it had come between her and finally kissing Anakin. So close, yet so far…

After dinner they had all spent time swapping more stories before Zelina had grown tired and went to bed, reluctantly peeling off the beautiful dress and returning to her Jedi clothes. Anakin had come to bed as well not that long after her, though it had been silent between them. Neither of them mentioned the moment out on the balcony, and she had the distinct feeling that Anakin had already pushed the event to the back of his mind, probably refocusing on Padme once more.

Zelina sighed, running a hand through her hair. It seemed no matter what she did Anakin was always going to go back to Padme. The jealousy swam through her, but she pushed it away the best she could. Anakin and Padme were both her friends, and she couldn't tell them who they should and shouldn't love. She didn't have a say when it came to how they should feel.

Zelina shook the thoughts away. She was going to ruin her day if she kept up this specific train of thought.

It took a while, but eventually she successfully found the lake that Padme had talked about. She smiled at the beautiful scenery laid out in front of her of rolling green hills and thundering water falls into the beautiful lake below. There was a large herd of shaaks in the field, grazing lazily at the lush green grass. Zelina smiled, weaving between the large, bulbous creatures as she drew closer to the shore. She brushed out her hair as she placed the spare clothes next to the shore, as well as her lightsaber and a hairtie. She stretched for a few moments before gracefully launching off of the shore and into the lake with a neat front flip.

The cool water flowed around her as Zelina cut into the deep body of water. It felt amazing and refreshing, a sensation that Zelina did not take for granted, coming from the desert planet of Tatooine. She dived deeper into the lake, doing her best to keep up with the fish that resided in the lake. Finally her oxygen started to run out, and she kicked upwards to the surface. When she broke through, the warm air greeted her, as well as the closer, thunderous noise of the waterfalls. They towered over her, turning the water below them a foamy white. Despite her fascination with waterfalls, Zelina knew better than to get too close. The last thing she wanted was to get caught underneath them.

"Zee!"

Startled, Zelina spun around in the water, eyes scanning the shore to see who had called her.

There, standing with a cocky grin by her pile of fresh clothes, was Anakin.

"Did you really think you were going to sneak away  _that_  easily?" Anakin asked with a grin as she swam closer.

"I was hoping to get some quiet time to myself. I'm sure you can understand that Ani," Zelina remarked teasingly.

He rolled his eyes. "Forgive me for being curious as to what you were doing up so early."

"You're forgiven," Zelina said breezily, and he scowled. "Well don't just stand there Ani: why don't you come on in? The water's warm, and I haven't been eaten by any exceptionally large fish. I'm sure it's safe," she teased.

Anakin shook his head. "I don't have anything dry like you do. I think I'll stay right here."

"Since when did you let that stop you?" she asked with the best serious face she could master.

His eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge?"

She shrugged. "No, I'm just observing that you've lost your sense of adventure," she said vaguely, swimming back to the center of the lake.

"Alright, fine, I'm coming in, happy?" Anakin griped.

Zelina laughed. "Don't forget to take off your lightsaber."

Anakin stripped down, leaving most of his equipment and layers of clothes on the shore next to her stuff. He was bare-chested with just his pants on when he dived in the same time that Zelina slipped underwater.

He broke the surface again, and Zelina could hear him calling her name, trying to figure out where she was. Before he wised up and used the Force to detect her, Zelina swam underneath him and grabbed his ankles, yanking him down into the water.

They both came back up at the same time, Anakin sputtering while Zelina laughed hysterically. "Oh, I see how it is!" Anakin declared before lunging at her. Zelina shrieked before they both plunged into the depths of the water once more, Anakin dragging her down this time.

This back and forth of pulling each other into the depths of the water continued for a while, turning into competitions to see who could hold their breath the longest, who could dive the deepest, and who could make the biggest wave.

Zelina was sputtering after taking a rather large wave from Anakin in the face when they both heard his comlink going off back on the shore.

Zelina sighed. "I should have known this wasn't going to last long."

Anakin swam over to their clothes, pulling himself onto the edge of the shore. "Don't go condemning our fun just yet, I haven't answered it yet."

Zelina rolled her eyes. "Just saying!"

Anakin grinned before answering the com. She bobbed below the surface for a moment, savoring the last few moments of swimming before they were called back to the lake house.

When she came back up, Anakin was grinning at her.

"What?" she asked, feeling subconscious.

"That was Padme: we can stay here. We're going to have a picnic in the fields today."

Zelina perked up. "So we don't have to get out yet?"

He laughed. "No, we don't. She's bringing towels for when we do though, so that we can dry off."

"Right…I didn't think about that when I left this morning."

"Obviously," he chuckled.

Zelina splashed some water his way. "What are you doing still up there? Get back in here and have some fun!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he insisted with a laugh.

"Not fast enough!" she complained before she grabbed his ankles and yanked him back into the lake. He swore before he became submerged in the water, and the competitions resumed.

It was while Zelina and Anakin were having a competition to see who could overpower the other and push them underwater that Padme arrived. She cocked an eyebrow at the sight of Zelina and Anakin wrestling with each other, watching as Anakin gained some ground and momentarily submerged Zelina in the water before she popped back up with a grin, evening the playing field again.

"Are you two trying to kill each other?" Padme sincerely asked, picnic basket in hand.

Anakin chuckled as Zelina shoved him away, turning an admiring eye on Padme. "No, just messing around my lady, that's all. There're no murders happening here."

"Yet," Zelina chipped in. Anakin splashed some water in her face and she sputtered indignantly.

Padme laughed. "Well, I have lunch right here, considering it's grown too late for breakfast."

"What a shame, we've missed the most important meal of the day," Zelina said with a pout.

Anakin hoisted himself out of the water, gratefully taking one of the towels from Padme. "Oh well, I'm sure that we'll survive."

Both girls tried their best not to stare at his well sculpted chest.

Zelina took her towel and gathered up her clothes. "I'm going to go get changed, I'll be right back," she told them with a small smile, gesturing towards a clump of trees that provided nice cover.

Anakin nodded. "We'll pick a spot for the picnic while you're gone."

"Fine with me," Zelina called behind her before she slipped into the cover of the trees.

* * *

After their picnic lunch, the trio found themselves divulging all sorts of stories. Somehow, Anakin had conned Zelina into sharing the story where she had dropped her training lightsaber down a packed flight of stairs at the Temple in revenge for her sharing a story where he lost his in mud.

Now, Padme was sharing the story of who her first romantic interest was.

"I don't know…" Padme said, picking at a strand of grass.

"Sure you do, you just don't want to say it in front of me," Anakin said with a small smile.

"You gonna use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?" Padme challenged.

Zelina laughed and Anakin shook his head. "They only work on the weak minded."

"Which you are  _far_  from Padme, just saying," Zelina chuckled.

Padme smiled. "Alright. I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the legislative youth program. He was a few years older than I." Padme grew serious though her eyes held a teasing light in them. " _Very_ cute. Dark curly hair, dreamy eyes…"

"Alright, I get the picture," Anakin said stiffly, looking away. Zelina laughed.

"Jealous much Anakin?" she teased, punching his arm lightly.

He shook his head. "Whatever happened?" he asked Padme, ignoring Zelina's comment. That only caused her to chuckle more.

"I went into public service," Padme continued easily. "He went on to become an artist."

"Maybe he was the smart one," Anakin said suddenly, almost cutting Padme off. Zelina cocked an eyebrow, though Padme beat her to the punch on commenting on his tone.

"You really don't like politicians, do you?" she asked shortly.

"Well this is getting interesting," Zelina said, leaning back and taking a bite from one of the many fruits Padme had packed as she watched them both with growing interest.

"I like two or three," Anakin said defensively. "But I'm not really sure about one of them."

Zelina laughed. "Oh, Padme, you're in trouble," she teased. Padme lightly slapped her knee with a grin.

"You hush, I'm intrigued. I want to hear what Anakin thinks," she said with a laugh.

"I don't think the system works," Anakin said quietly.

"How would  _you_  have it work?" Padme asked him.

"Yes oh great and wise Anakin, do tell," Zelina said, feigning reverence as she leaned closer to the two. Anakin rolled his eyes.

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem. Agree what's in the best interest of  _all_  the people, and then  _do it_."

"That's exactly what we do," Padme said defensively.

"I just think that we need less corruption," Zelina said with a shrug. "If there weren't so many corrupt politicians, then there wouldn't be so much of a problem."

Padme nodded. "Yes, corruption is a problem. But in response to what you said Anakin, the trouble is that people don't always agree."

"Well then they should be made to," Anakin said seriously. Padme and Zelina both looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"By whom? Who's going to make them?" Padme challenged.

"I don't know, someone—"

"You?" Padme accused.

"Of course not me!"

_Well this is getting interesting,_  Zelina mused, watching them both with mild amusement as they went back and forth. However, Zelina also eyed Anakin, curious to see what he would say next.

"But someone," Padme said a little softer.

Anakin nodded. "Someone wise," he said as sensibly as he could.

"Sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me," Padme said, looking away.

"Well…if it works…" Anakin said matter-of-fact like.

Padme stared at him in shock for a few moments before Zelina started to see Anakin's control slipping and he smirked.

"You're making fun of me!" Padme cried as both Anakin and Zelina started to laugh.

"No, no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator!" Anakin exclaimed as he laughed, looking away. Padme gazed at him adoringly and Zelina's smile slipped just ever so slightly before she wrestled it back into place, not letting her gaze leave the two.

Zelina sighed, standing up. "Well, not that lunch is over, let's go do something. Other than swimming of course, I just got used to feeling dry again," she chuckled.

"I've got an idea," Anakin said, mischievousness lighting up in his eyes as he stood up quickly.

"Oh, and what exactly would that be?" Padme asked, standing up as well.

"You'll see," he said with a grin before he took off over the hill that rested in front of them.

Zelina sighed. "I'm sorry Padme, I awoke the beast, he's probably going to do something stupid now," she said with a smile.

"Well we should give him some credit, he might actually come up with something fun," Padme said with a laugh.

" _Well_ , it might be fun for us to watch anyway," Zelina laughed as they both trudged their way up the hill as fast as they could.

What they found was an amusing sight for Zelina to see.

Anakin did his best to balance on the back of a shaak, arms flailing as the creature bucked and scampered through the field in front of them.

"Whoa-oh, easy!" Anakin said loudly before he started laughing, doing his best to keep his footing. Padme and Zelina started laughing.

"That's actually very tempting to try," Zelina laughed as they both watched the shaak skit away, Anakin somehow managing to stay on its back. He wasn't even using his hands.

Suddenly, the shaak gave a rather violent buck, and Anakin was thrown in the air. Zelina's smile disappeared in an instant as the shaak tossed him in the air again with its snout before Anakin landed on the ground. As if the fall hadn't been enough, the shaak promptly ran over him. Her heart stopped as she saw Anakin try to pick himself off of the ground just for his strength to fail him. He collapsed, unmoving on the ground.

Zelina didn't know when she had started running towards him. She just knew that she was now, Padme close behind.

"Anakin!" both Padme and Zelina cried repeatedly, their calls overlapping and frightening some of the other shaaks away.

"Ani, are you alright?" Padme called, the worry thick in her tone. Zelina's concern was past words.

Zelina reached him first. She grasped his shoulder's, turning him over to find him perfectly fine and grinning at them. He started to laugh and Zelina felt her face heat up.

"You little brain-bolted, dag nerf-hearder! Koochoo! E chu ta!" Zelina said, throwing a few insults his way calling him an idiot, as well as an inappropriate Huttese insult at the end as both Padme and Zelina whacked at Anakin. He continued to laugh before he took Padme hostage, grabbing onto her and rolling away. Padme ended up on top, and they all laughed before settling into a comfortable silence. Zelina sighed, laying down in the field and letting Padme and Anakin have their moment as she stared up at the sky.

It had been a good day.


	10. Bump in the Night

* * *

Back at the house, Padme changed into a sultry evening dress. Dinner had been wonderful, with Anakin sharing more of his stories of his adventures with Obi-Wan and showing off some of his skills with the Force to flatter Padme as well. Zelina found it amusing when Padme learned of Anakin's definition of aggressive negotiations. It was a term that both Zelina and Anakin had become very familiar with over there time as a Jedi.

Now night had fallen, and Zelina was currently returning from getting them all drinks. The tension in the room between Padme and Anakin had heightened during an uncomfortable silence, and Zelina had jumped at the excuse to escape the room.

Now she was returning, the three glasses neatly placed on a platter. Secretly, she hoped that the tension in the room had evaporated.

Just before she entered the room and announced her return, Zelina heard Anakin begin to talk.

"From the moment I met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you."

Zelina froze. This was something that she was not meant to hear. This was something between Padme and Anakin alone, and if she was right…

This was Anakin finally opening up about how he felt.

Zelina looked down at her hands clutching the platter. They were beginning to tremble, and so Zelina hastily put the platter down as quietly as she could on the table nearest to her.

In the room just around the corner, Anakin continued with a sigh.

"And now that I'm with you again…I'm in  _agony_. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you… _I can't breathe_."

Zelina slowly slid down the wall, listening with a growing ache in her heart. Why was she listening to this? Why was she still sitting out in the hall? She should turn and run while she had the chance, before she ended up hurt any further.

"I'm  _haunted_  by the kiss that you should have never given me. My heart is beating,  _hoping_  that that kiss will not become a scar. You are in my very  _soul_ , tormenting me. What can I do? I will do  _anything_ that you ask."

There was an uncomfortable silence, and Zelina could feel Anakin's open hearted honesty quickly morphing into regret and fear of rejection. Even a little of anger and frustration came rolling off of him.

Meanwhile, Zelina closed her eyes, holding back her tears as she resigned herself to the truth. She would never have Anakin's attention. His heart, his soul, his love, all of it belonged to Padme; he had just said it himself.

Zelina buried her face in her hands. Even though she was not allowed to love as a Jedi, and was supposed to focus solely on her commitment to the Force while dedicating her life to the Order and the Republic, she had still fallen for Anakin. She couldn't help it; it wasn't like she could wish her feelings away. Nor was she a person to ignore that they existed. Therefore, it still hurt her so much to hear him confess such undying love to another woman.

"If you are suffering as much as I am, please, tell me," Anakin suddenly said. His hurt at Padme remaining silent was thick in his voice. Zelina could imagine the muscle jumping in his jaw, his agonized soul clearly seen through his eyes.

_I am Anakin. You have no idea how long I have felt like that for you. And I'm suffering now, listening to this. I'm suffering too Anakin_ , Zelina thought, kneading her eyes gently.

"I can't…" Padme said softly. Zelina felt her own temper spike at her words.

_The guy pours his soul out to you and you won't even admit your own feelings? You just completely brush him off? I would at least let him know that he's not the only one, that he's not alone!_

"We can't, it's…just not possible."

Zelina sighed. She had known that for so long. It couldn't happen with the lifestyle of a Jedi. Anakin loved being a Jedi, it was his life. He'd lose a part of himself if he ever lost his place in the Order.

"Anything is possible Padme, listen to me!" Anakin plead quietly.

"No you listen!" Padme suddenly snapped, startling Zelina from her seat on the ground. "We live in a real world, come back to it. You're studying to become a Jedi, and I'm…I'm a senator. If you follow your thoughts through to conclusion, it will take us to a place we cannot go! Regardless of the way we feel about each other!"

Padme had started out harshly, her tone softening as she continued. Zelina could see the sense in Padme's words. She had known it herself for so long, and it was the main reason for her silence. It could never happen, even if they tried.

Anakin, it seemed, had latched on to the last part of Padme's speech like it was his last hope at life. "Then you  _do_  feel something!" Anakin exclaimed desperately.

"I will  _not_  let you give up your future for me," Padme stated firmly.

"You are asking me to be  _rational_ ," Anakin said quietly. "That is something I know I cannot do."

_You can say that again Ani. Usually I'm the rational one of the two of us._

"Believe me, I wish that I could just  _wish away_  my feelings, but I can't," Anakin continued.

_Didn't I just say that myself_ , Zelina wondered.

"I  _will not_  give into this," Padme said firmly once more.

Zelina heard Anakin move across the floor, coming closer to the hall. For a moment, Zelina thought that he would leave the room and find Zelina sitting there, tear soaked, and a scene would be made. However, his footsteps stopped, and she was sure that he had just turned around.

"Well you know it…it wouldn't have to be that way. We could keep it a secret," he said, his voice barely audible.

"We'd be living a lie," Padme said quietly. "One we couldn't keep even if we wanted to. I couldn't do that. Could you Anakin? Could you live like that?"

There were a few moments of silence. "No…you're right…it would destroy us."

Zelina shivered at the strong feeling of premonition that rippled over her at his words.

The continued silence reminded her that she had been returning whenever she had stumbled across this conversation. However, she didn't see how they could all be in the same room much longer tonight after such a conversation.

Zelina stood up sharply, wiping her eyes and straightening herself up. She picked up the tray, waiting until she knew she could hold it steady before she took a deep breath and entered the room with a soft smile.

The tension and awkwardness was so thick she could have cut it with a knife.

"I got the drinks," she said as cheerily as she could as she set the platter down on the small coffee table. Padme stood in front of the fire while Anakin stayed where he was in the middle of the room. The heat from the fire warmed her skin as she tried to keep her pleasant smile in place. "But I'm getting rather tired. I think I'll have my drink and then retire."

Anakin nodded curtly. "I think that's a good idea. It's been a long day. We all need our rest," he said stiffly.

Zelina nodded slowly, taking her glass from the platter. "Well, for the most part, I did have fun today. I hope we can do this again," she said lightly, as if she had not heard anything.

As if her heart had not been broken just a few moments ago.

Padme nodded silently, and Anakin didn't even make a move for a drink. Zelina had to press one into his hand herself.

After that, she gave up trying to salvage any good note to end the night on and was the first to retire, spending her brief time of solitude to openly cry. When Anakin entered the room, she stopped her tears immediately and feigned sleep.

* * *

Zelina woke with a start, her heart pounding, covered in sweat. Her vivid nightmare blared before her eyes even though she knew that she was on Naboo.

The setting of the blazing Tatooine suns, the great pain and agony that came once the suns had set…the suffering of so many souls, killed in cold blood…

Zelina tried to shake Anakin's fury twisted face from her mind, burying her hands in her face for a moment.

Across the room, she heard Anakin tossing restlessly in bed. She frowned, looking up. He too seemed to be suffering from a nightmare.

"No…" he lightly panted in his sleep. "No…Mom, no…"

Zelina was out of bed in a flash, crossing the room to her friend. She put a gentle hand on his bare chest as she sat on his bed beside him. "Ani…" she whispered, shaking him gently. He didn't wake up, just continued to mumble in his sleep, tossing and turning.

"No," he cried out again, louder than at first. Zelina shook him even harder, unable to take the look of pain that was playing out across his face.

"Anakin!" she said much firmer and louder.

"No!" he cried out before startling awake, his eyes snapping open. Zelina pressed lightly against his chest to keep him from bolting up in bed and nailing her in the nose or something.

Anakin's eyes darted around the room, panting as if he had run around Coruscant ten times over. There was a wild fear alight in his eyes, one that served to scare even Zelina. Still, she swallowed her fear, leaning in closer as she tried to sooth him.

"Shh…it's alright Anakin, it's alright. I'm here, you're alright," she said rhythmically, rubbing his shoulder gently as he came back to himself.

"My mother…I couldn't do anything, she's in pain and I couldn't do anything," Anakin said in a somewhat frantic tone of voice starting to sit up. Zelina gently grasped his shoulders, pushing him back into the bed.

"Anakin, it was a dream, you need to relax. Look at me," Zelina said firmly, turning his head so he would look her in the eyes. "Breathe. Don't lose your head, alright? Just take a few deep breathes and come back down to the surface, get your head out of the stars, alright?"

Anakin shook his head, though he did calm himself down some first. "I don't think it's a dream Zee. I don't believe it is anymore. You know it too, don't you? When we talked back on Coruscant, you talked as if you thought it might be a vision."

Zelina hesitated. "I…I thought it might be…"

"It is. I know it is," Anakin said gruffly, sitting up in bed. This time, Zelina let him. He buried his face in his hands for a few moments, and Zelina gently rubbed his bare back, doing her best to not get distracted to any degree by his muscular form. Finally, Anakin pulled his face from his hands, looking at Zelina with a tortured look on his face.

"She's in so much pain Zelina…I know she is; I can  _feel it._  And I can't  _take it anymore_. I have to help her. I can't ignore it any long."

Zelina gently clasped his face in her hands, getting him to look her straight in the eyes. "Then we'll go help her, alright? If you feel you have to, we'll go. But we'll have to be careful so that we don't get into any trouble, alright?"

Anakin nodded. "I…I don't want to leave my duty and leave Padme without her protection…"

"But this is something you have to do. You feel you don't have any choice," Zelina finished softly for him. Anakin nodded.

"If something happens…if something did happen to her Zelina…I don't think I could ever forgive myself."

"Don't say that," Zelina said quietly.

"It would be my fault. I've had these dreams for how long now Zelina? How long have I dreamed that she was in pain? If it's true, and I ignored those visions, and she something happens to her…I'll never forgive myself."

Zelina shook her head adamantly. "It won't be your fault, okay Anakin? You haven't had a vision before like a dream. You don't have the experience to tell the difference. If something happens, it is  _not_  your fault, okay? If there's nothing you can do, then it is  _not your fault_."

Anakin's gaze hardened. "I won't let anything happen to her Zee…I can't."

"She'll be alright Anakin…she'll be alright," Zelina said quietly, pulling him into a tight hug. She felt him relax against her as she started rubbing his back gently once more. "We'll figure this out Anakin…we'll go help her. I'll go with you too. You won't be alone, I can promise you that. We'll talk to Padme about it tomorrow morning, and we'll go to Tatooine as soon as possible, alright?"

Anakin nodded against her chest. "Thank you Zelina…you've always been here for me…" Anakin said quietly.

She couldn't help but wonder why that wasn't enough for him to choose her over Padme.


	11. Back To Tatooine

* * *

The next morning Anakin explained the situation to Padme when she stumbled across his morning meditation. Zelina was there with him, helping him to calm down enough for some light meditation.

When Padme entered, Zelina was immersed enough in the Force to notice how her presence soothed him considerably. Zelina's eyelids fluttered open as she brought herself out of her meditation, her gaze floating over to Padme.

Padme seemed to realize that they had been meditating, and she turned to leave. Anakin, however, stopped her.

"Don't go," he said, his voice so soft it sounded like a plea.

Padme paused, eyebrows raised as she spared Zelina a glance. "I don't want to disturb you."

Anakin took a deep breath. "Your presence is soothing," Anakin replied, stating what Zelina was already aware of.

Padme's gaze did not waver from the back of Anakin's head. "You had another nightmare last night."

Anakin stilled. "Jedi don't have nightmares," he said firmly. Zelina smirked a little, leaning against the column she stood beside.

_Yes they do_ , she mouthed to Padme through the smallest of smiles.

"I heard you," Padme said quietly.

_Jigs up Anakin. It seems that we're going to be addressing your nightmares sooner than you anticipated,_  Zelina thought.

Anakin pulled himself completely out of the meditation he had accomplished, staring out over the lake without really seeing it.

"I saw my mother," Anakin said quietly. Zelina could see his façade crumble, revealing how desperate and even scared he truly was for a moment as Anakin turned to face Padme. "She's suffering Padme. I saw her as clearly as I see you now."

Anakin looked away, unwilling to let Padme see the flurry of emotions that flickered across his face: fear, pain, frustration, and even some self-loathing perhaps. Zelina, no longer smiling, moved from her spot beside one of the columns to Anakin's side, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder in comfort and encouragement. Anakin sighed heavily, trying to regain control of himself before he continued.

"She's in pain," he forced out, continuing where he left off. He turned around to face Padme once more. "I know I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you Senator, but I  _have_  to go. I have to  _help her_ ," he said, his voice clogged with emotion as he tried to make her understand.

"I'll go with you," Padme said simply. Zelina felt a wave of relief go through her. At least, in a way, they would still be able to protect Padme like they were supposed to.

"I'm sorry, I don't have a choice," Anakin apologized.

"It's alright Ani, we understand. We'll get ready to go right now, alright?" Zelina assured him quietly.

He sighed once more. "Alright…alright…"

"It'll be okay, Ani. You'll see," Zelina said quietly. Padme and Zelina both exchanged a look before everyone went their separate ways to get ready to depart for Tatooine.

* * *

"I never thought I'd find myself back on this dustball," Zelina mused as they stepped off of the ramp of Padme's ship. She surveyed the familiar sight of Mos Espa that stretched out before her, grimacing.

"I did…but not like this," Anakin murmured, brushing passed her. Zelina didn't complain. She expected him to be in the worst of moods right now. He had every right to be. Zelina glanced back at Padme, gesturing for her to follow before Zelina started to follow Anakin. She jogged up beside him, falling into step beside him as they exited the space port and out onto the streets.

"I'm guessing we're going to try Watto first?" Zelina asked him lightly.

Anakin nodded curtly. "Who else would we see? He  _owns_  her."

"The last we knew," Zelina said softly. Anakin shot her a piercing glare, but Zelina wasn't fazed.

"I'm just saying Ani…it's been ten years. Who knows how much has changed while we've been gone. I'm just telling you ahead of time."

"I'd rather you didn't," he muttered under his breath.

"I know, I don't really want to think about it either…but it's still the truth."

She put a hand on his shoulder the same time that they slumped, rubbing his shoulder reassuringly. "We'll find her though Anakin. I promise you, we will."

"Come on, let's get some transport; it'll be quicker," Anakin mumbled.

Zelina sighed and fell back beside Padme as Anakin strode off to find some faster way around. "I haven't seen him this anxious in a long time."

Padme nodded. "I'm sure. Though I must admit, you've been acting rather odd yourself lately Zelina. I haven't said anything because I figured it would pass but…it seems to have gotten worse recently."

Zelina was silent for a few moments, trying to decide if she wanted to say what exactly had her acting so odd. If she was going to say something, what better time was there?

"I…I saw you and Anakin kiss…and I overheard everything last night," Zelina said quickly, looking away. Padme stiffened a little. "If you're worried I might say something, I won't," she added hastily.

Padme seemed to have finally found her voice. "Zelina I am so sorry, I know how much you care for him, I didn't mean to hurt or offend you, I swear—"

Zelina shrugged, waving her hand dismissively. "It's alright."

"Are you sure? I know that he means so much to you, I didn't mean for anything to happen it just did and—"

"Padme. It's fine, alright? Don't worry about it. Yes, I do care about him myself, but I'm not blind to the fact that he has eyes for you. I'm not going to come between you two. It's his choice."

Padme looked like she was going to argue further, but Anakin had returned. "It took a while, but I found a decent priced transport. Are you two coming?" he asked, already halfway turned towards the transport he had snagged.

"Yes, we are," Zelina said quickly, already making her way to him. Anakin helped both girls into the transport before getting in himself, and they were off to Watto's.

Zelina was suffering from some serious déjà vu as the transport started traveling down all too familiar streets. She could name off the many places that she had hid after stealing something from an unlucky outsider, or the places Shaal'ma had found Zelina hiding from her to keep from having to work in the cantina. She could spot the many places that her and Anakin had played in, and wondered if Anakin was experiencing the same déjà vu she was.

Such thoughts were pushed away from her mind as the transport came to a smooth stop outside of Watto's place. Zelina helped herself out, though Anakin helped Padme down.

"Wait right there," Anakin told their droid driver. It nodded rather eagerly.

"Okay," it beeped out.

Zelina glanced around, taking in the familiar street as the trio approached a familiar looking Toydarian. Watto barked at a snooping droid, turning back to the pit droid head in his lap with a frustrated look. Obviously he was having a problem fixing it.

"Chut chut Watto," Anakin said in Huttese rather pleasantly for the mood he was in.

Watto, obviously caught off guard and not recognizing Anakin, simply stared at him.

"Din me chasa ho pah," Anakin continued just as smoothly, stepping forward and taking the pit droid head and picking it up. Watto's suspicion only seemed to grow, and Zelina smiled as she saw Padme struggling to follow what the two were saying already. She leaned over to quietly translate what was coming next as Watto began to speak.

"Watto is asking what he wants…now he's recognized that he's a Jedi…" Zelina snickered. "And now he's claiming that whatever we're here for, he didn't do it. And now he just offered to help Watto with the pit droid head…"

Watto dropped the screwdriver on his foot with a curse, though Anakin continued speaking without flinching.

Zelina sighed. "And now he just told Watto that he's looking for Shmi Skywalker."

Watto stared really hard at Anakin for a few moments. "Ani? Little Ani?"

Anakin smiled just slightly, placing the pit droid head down in front of Watto. It sprung to life, and Watto broke out in a grin. "You are Ani! It is you!" Watto started to laugh. "You sure sprouted, huh? And a Jedi, what do you know? Hey…maybe you could help with some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money."

"My mother," Anakin repeated sharply. Zelina put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, not wanting him to lose his temper.

Watto suddenly became shifty. "Oh, yeah…Shmi. Uh…she's not mine no more, I sold her."

Zelina felt ice rush through her at the statement. Shmi could be anywhere if Watto had sold her.

"You sold her?" Anakin echoed, obviously processing what Watto was telling him. He glanced at Zelina, and she knew he was thinking about how she had been right.

" _Years_  ago," Watto continued. "Sorry Ani, but you know, business is business…I sold her to a moisture farmer named, uh, Lars. At least I think it was Lars…Believe it or not, I heard he freed her! And married her! Tell me you believe that, eh?" Watto chuckled a little, and Zelina sighed. At least they knew that Shmi had been freed and hadn't been living in slavery this entire time.

"Do you know where they are now?" Anakin asked softly.

"Oh, a long ways from here. Someplace over on the other side of Mos Eisley I think."

A muscle jumped in Anakin's jaw. "I'd like to know," he said slowly yet firmly.

"Uh, sure, absolutely!" exclaimed Watto, seeming a little caught off guard by Anakin's cold shoulder attitude. "Let's go look at my records, eh?"

The three of them followed Watto into the shop, and Zelina let her eyes trail along the shelves, smiling faintly at the familiar small shop as Watto lead Anakin into the back. Zelina stayed up by the front, running her hand along the shelves. Her eyes flickered over to the corner she had hid in when Qui-Gon had first appeared, smiling faintly. It seemed like a lifetime ago she had first met the Jedi Master…

It didn't take Anakin and Watto long to return from the back. "I found them. Come on, it might take a while to get there. That's time we don't have."

Zelina nodded. "Alright Ani."

Watto slowed, staring at her. "It's you Zelina?" he asked, seemingly doubtful. Zelina nodded.

"Yes Watt, it's me," she said with a small smile. Instead of chuckling, like Zelina expected him to, Watto sobered.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said kindly. Zelina stared at him, confused.

"I'm sorry?" she asked politely, hoping for an explanation.

"You don't know?" Watto asked, obviously surprised. Anakin glanced between the two, tense with anticipation for whatever news Watto had. When Zelina shook her head Watto seemed to deflate a little, as if he didn't want to be the one to tell her. "Yer old man, he got sold after you left and well…"

Zelina stiffened, freezing up for a few seconds before she found the ability to speak again. "What Watto? What happened to him?"

Watto hesitated. "He, uh, died a few days ago. Hung himself from what I heard."

Zelina's heart stopped, and for a few moments she couldn't hear anything. She was able to process Anakin moving towards her and saw his mouth moving, but she didn't hear him. She couldn't even feel the ground underneath her if she was being honest.

Her vision from a few days earlier came back to her…

_Where did you go sweetheart? Why didn't you even look back? Not once? I've lost everything, there's nothing left…_

She felt bile rise in her throat, tears sting at her eyes. "I need some air," She finally managed to gasp out, barreling away from everyone and out the door, back into the street.

She gasped in the dry air, tears leaking out of her eyes. She wiped them away furiously. She would not allow herself to cry, no matter how bad it hurt.

Zelina's mind wandered back to the day she left, and she was suddenly overcome with the wish that she would have left on better terms. She couldn't shake the fact that she had a vision of her father's death, and it hadn't even fazed her a few days ago.

Now it was all too real. If her father had died in captivity, and under a cruel master of any sorts, than he did not receive a burial, and there was no way to visit him, no way for her to properly mourn him…

"Zelina…"

She jumped as she felt the firm hand on her shoulder, turning to see Anakin. His worried eyes probed her face intently. "Are you alright?" he asked her quietly.

Her hands were shaking, though he couldn't see it under the robe. She shoved all of the pain and loss that came rolling towards her into a dark corner of her mind, forcing a weak smile on her face. "I'll be fine…we need to go find your mom," she said gently, though her voice was a little too hollow for her liking.

Anakin frowned, seeing right through her feeble act. He squeezed her shoulder, giving her a brief one armed hug. "It's going to be alright Zee…I promise. Okay?"

Zelina nodded. "I know Ani, I know…but thank you…" she said quietly.

"Of course…" Anakin murmured.

Zelina had to admit, having Anakin their eased the pain of the loss considerably, though she still shoved most of the feelings aside, unwilling to deal with them at the moment. Right now, she needed to help her friend find his mother before he fell upon the same bad luck.

* * *

Soon they were all standing outside of the Lars homestead. Zelina surveyed the expanse of sand with a tear-free, hard look, keeping her mind as distracted as possible. She noticed a gray droid off to the side as they drew closer to the house.

"Oh! Oh! Hello! How might I be of service? I am C—"

"3PO?" Anakin asked incredulously, just as shocked as Zelina to see the droid there.

"Oh, um…" it took 3PO a moment to recognize Anakin. "The Maker!" the droid suddenly exclaimed. Zelina couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, Master Ani! I knew you would return! I knew it! And Miss Padme, oh my!  _And_  Miss Zelina, oh this is too much!" 3PO exclaimed happily.

"Hello 3PO," Padme responded with a smile. Zelina felt hope flutter in her chest. If 3PO was here, than surely Shmi was here. Perhaps she was fine…

"Bless my circuits, I'm so pleased to see you both!" 3PO exclaimed.

"I've come to see my mother," Anakin stated quietly.

3PO visibly wilted. "Oh, um…I think perhaps we better go indoors…"

All of them exchanged a look, and Zelina could see dread starting to bloom in Anakin's eyes. He was trying to shove it down, that much was clear…but it was growing with every passing moment.

3PO lead them inside to a man and a woman. The man was cleaning some part with a rag, studying the three as they descended the stairs. "Master Owen. Might I present three most important visitors," 3PO informed the man as the woman came up behind him.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said, his somber tone matching the dread and worry in his eyes.

The man glanced at each one of the trio. "Owen Lars. Ah…this is my girlfriend Beru."

"Hello," the woman said shortly yet pleasantly.

"I'm Padme," Padme said softly.

"Zelina Du'ahn," Zelina added, trying to stay focused on Owen. However, she was too worried over Anakin, and her gaze kept flickering back to him.

"I guess I'm your step-brother," Owen said rather awkwardly to Anakin. "I had a feeling you might show up some day."

Anakin nodded just slightly, his gaze starting to drift toward the vacant doorways even as he tried to hold Owen's eyes. "Is my mother here?" he asked, a feeble hope in his voice.

Zelina's heart plummeted before she even heard the voice.

"No, she's not."

Anakin's head whipped sharply around as he stared at the newcomer. An older man joined the small party on a hover-chair. He held out his hand to Anakin. "Cliegg Lars. Shmi is my wife," he said as Anakin shook the man's hand.

The grim look on Cliegg's face struck fear into Zelina's heart, and by the look on Anakin's face, it did Anakin's as well.

"We should go inside," the man rumbled. "We have a lot to talk about…"

Zelina put her hand gently on Anakin's shoulder. She could feel the growing storm around them; she could feel it gaining strength, and she had the feeling that things were only about to get worse.

* * *

They all sat at the table, Beru pouring some of them drinks. Anakin stared unseeing at the table in front of him as Cliegg explained what had happened.

"It was just before dawn. They came out of nowhere, the hunting party of Tusken Raiders. Your mother had gone out early like she always did to pick mushrooms that grow on the evaporators. From the tracks she was about halfway home when they took her." Cliegg sighed. "Those Tuskens walk like men but they're vicious, mindless monsters."

Zelina couldn't believe what she was hearing. Shmi had always been like a second mother to her, and to hear that she had been taken by Tusken Raiders…

No one could see it, but under the table, Zelina clenched Anakin's hand tightly. Halfway to comfort herself, but mostly to comfort him. The muscle in his jaw was jumping repeatedly, his eyes hardened, and she could sense the emotions brewing in him. It alarmed her greatly.

"Thirty of us went out after her, four of us came back. I'd be out there with them, but after I lost my leg I just couldn't ride anymore un-until I heal."

Anakin seemed to be on the brink of losing it. Zelina was sure that it was tears she could see starting to gather in his eyes. She squeezed his hand tighter, trying to push some comfort his way. Anakin hung his head, staring at his lap and Zelina's hand clenched in his own.

"I don't want to give up on her, but she's been gone a month. There's little hope she's lasted this long."

That seemed to be the last straw for Anakin. He launched to his feet as well as Zelina a moment later, having anticipated his movement. "Ani," she said quietly.

"Where are you going?" Owen asked softly.

Anakin looked at him in an accusing way. "To find my  _mother_ ," he stated harshly.

"Your mother's dead son. Accept it."

Anakin would hear none of it, shaking his head slowly before he stormed out of the room. Zelina followed close behind, ignoring any look that the Lars family might be giving her.

Anakin had already barreled upstairs and out above the homestead. Zelina followed him, finding that she was having problems seeing. She wiped a hand over her eyes and realized that she was crying. She angrily wiped the tears away as she climbed the stairs, steeling herself enough for Anakin as she came back to the surface.

He was standing a little ways away, overlooking the desert. He was taunt, practically unmoving. Silently, Zelina strode over to him. "Anakin…"

He didn't even tilt his head in acknowledgement. However, Zelina refused to give up that easily. Once more she put a hand on his shoulder, and as she came around his side she could see that is lack of movement was from his strain to maintain some form of self-control. It was obvious he'd made up his mind what he was going to do next. No one could change his mind now.

"I'm going with you," Zelina said quietly.

Anakin shook his head. "No you're not. You'll stay here with Padme."

Zelina smiled wanly. "Sorry Anakin…but I can tell you're going to need me more. I'm going with you, alright?"

Anakin gave her a sharp look. "Stay here."

Zelina met his gaze unwaveringly, and she answered with no hesitation. "No. Anakin, she's important to me too. She's the closest thing I have to a mother, or have you forgotten?"

He looked away, and she was sure that for a moment she saw guilt flash across his face. She didn't want to accidentally hurt him anymore, but she was going to come no matter what he said.

"Padme will be fine here Anakin. I'm going with you. We'll find her, I promise."

* * *

Sometime later, Zelina noticed Padme emerge from the doorway. Zelina and Anakin both turned around, and Padme approached slowly Anakin.

"You should stay here. These are good people Padme, you'll be safe," Anakin said softly. The Lars already knew that Anakin and Zelina were really going after Shmi. They had already informed them so.

"Anakin…" Padme replied just as softly.

They both hugged each other tightly and Zelina looked off towards the suns, letting them have their moment. It was a moment that lasted quite a while, but she didn't mind. She studied the horizon, wondering how far Shmi was, and what Anakin and she would find.

Some small part of her told her that it would be nothing good.

Anakin finally pulled away, and both he and Zelina started to the swoop bike that Owen had lent them. "We won't be long," Anakin said softly.

He got on first, Zelina climbing on behind him. She wrapped her arms around Anakin's waist, burying her face in his shoulder and closing her eyes.

Anakin started the engine, and they found themselves speeding into the eye of the storm.


	12. The Tusken Camp

The setting of the Tatooine suns had pressed Anakin to hurry the search, and he sped through the Tatooine desert at an alarming rate. Though Zelina thought nothing of it. Anakin was a skilled pilot, and she had seen how capable he was navigating the Tatooine terrain when they had been mere children. Now he had even more experience up his sleeve. Throughout the journey, Zelina kept her face buried in his back, right at his shoulder blade. She could feel his heart hammering from his anxiety, and kept her arms wrapped firmly around his waist, praying to the Force that her presence was enough to comfort him.

Night had nearly fallen when he reached a Jawa transport. Zelina stayed on Owen's swoop bike as Anakin inquired about the Tusken Raiders. She felt her heart leap into her throat when the Jawa he was talking too nodded eagerly and pointed Anakin in the right direction. She could feel the tension building in the air as Anakin returned to the speeder, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly before they took off.

They were getting closer. Soon, they would find her. What state Shmi would be in when they found her remained to be seen.

Night had long since fallen whenever Anakin finally slowed down. Zelina could sense it too. There was a Tusken Raiders settlement just ahead of them.

Anakin parked the swoop bike in the shadows of the cliff they were standing on, and they both crouched by the ledge, staring down at the settlement.

"She's down there…I can feel her," Anakin said, his voice so quiet Zelina almost didn't hear him.

"Well the, let's go. We'll have to be quiet so we don't alert them that we're here," Zelina muttered.

"Obviously," Anakin murmured back. He swiftly dropped from the cliff edge and Zelina frowned with a small shake of her head before she dropped down after him. He was waiting for her, though he was rather impatient. "Come on," he hissed at her.

"I'm coming Ani, patience," Zelina hissed. The two of them made a hasty beeline for the Tusken Raider camp, Anakin guiding them. He was honed in on Shmi's presence, his focus unclaimed by anything else. Zelina was the one to take the time to probe around the camp for a rough guess of how many Tusken Raiders were in the camp.

Anakin came to a sudden halt by the back of one of the outlying huts. His lightsaber sprung to life and he cut a rough hole in the back of the hut before using the Force to remove the piece. Anakin stepped in first, though he paused halfway in, suddenly frozen in place. Zelina could tell that something was very, very wrong.

She pressed into the hut behind him, barely able to squeeze past him. They both had to duck a little because the hut's ceiling was so low. When Zelina saw what had caused Anakin to stop in his tracks, her heart leapt into her throat.

There was Shmi, bound and bloodied. It was a horrible sight, and Zelina could feel the picture slowly burning forever into her memory. Anakin was the first to move, shaking himself out of his shock and disgust before hurrying to his mother's side. Zelina quickly joined him, helping him to unbind Shmi and gently lying her down in Anakin's arms. Zelina crouched down on the other side of her, helping Anakin to support her.

"Mom! Mom!" Anakin cried out softly.

Tears stung at Zelina's eyes. She could tell just by looking at Shmi that she wasn't going to make it. She was sure that Anakin realized this as well.

"Ani? Is it you?" Shmi croaked. Anakin held her tighter to himself, as if holding her closer would somehow keep her from slipping away.

"I-I'm here Mom, you're safe," Anakin said, his voice barely above a whisper. Zelina met his gaze for a moment, and she could see her own grief magnified ten-fold in Anakin's eyes. Her throat closed and a tear escaped as the frightening thought that Shmi's death might just break her close friend.

Shmi reached up, beginning to gently stroke Anakin's cheek. "Ani? Ani? Oh, you look so handsome…"

Anakin smiled shakily, leaning into the hand that cupped his cheek as he fought back his own tears. "My son…oh, my grown up son. I'm so proud of you Ani," Shmi whispered quietly.

"I missed you," Anakin told her, the tears shining in his eyes.

She turned her head slightly in Zelina's direction, smiling weakly at the girl and reaching feebly out to her. Zelina grasped her hand tightly while Anakin gently kissed the palm that cupped his cheek. "And little Zelina…you look so gorgeous…have you been taking care of my little Ani?"

Zelina nodded, unable to speak for a moment. "Of course Shmi…"

Shmi smiled softly, squeezing her hand weekly. "Good…good…you keep doing that for me…please?"

Zelina nodded again. "Always. I promise," she whispered.

Shmi smiled, turning her full attention back to Anakin. "Oh Ani…" Shmi's hand started to retract as she stared up at him. "Now I am complete…I love…"

Anakin's fragile smile faltered, and he struggled to keep it from sliding off of his face. "Stay with me Mom!" he plead, his voice breaking. "Everything…" Anakin tried to speak, but his throat had closed, his tears choking out his words. Zelina was struggling to hold back tears of her own, trembling.

"I love…." Shmi struggled to get one more word out, for some reason finding herself incapable of getting the other word to come forth. "I…I  _love_ …"

Shmi's voice faltered, her breath catching. Anakin's smile shattered, a broken man taking his place as he stared at his mother. The sound of Shmi regaining her breath never came, and she went lax in Anakin's arms. The light disappeared from her eyes, and her head dropped back. She was gone.

The sobs broke through. Zelina's shoulders trembled and she squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could to try and shake the sight of Shmi's dead body from her mind. Just a few hours earlier she had lost her father: now she had lost her second mother.

Zelina forced her eyes open to look at Anakin. He couldn't even look at his mother, his face twisted up in pain. She moved the best she could, pulling him into the best hug she could manage at the moment. She couldn't find any words. There was no words for a moment like this. She could feel Anakin trembling under her arms and she hugged him tighter, their unsteady breathing echoing around the hut.

With a trembling hand, Anakin reached over and closed his mother's eyes slowly. Zelina clutched his arm, burying her face in his shoulder as she did her best to regain control of herself. Now was not the time to mourn. They were in the middle of a Tusken Raider camp. Who knew when the Tuskens would come to check on their captive and discover the two Jedi within one of their huts. Though at the same time, Zelina knew that Anakin needed a little longer. His emotions swirled and built, mounting at an alarming rate that she could feel clearly through the Force. The depth of his pain was paralyzing for her to experience as he gently and lovingly stroked his mother's cheek, head hung low in sorrow.

Suddenly, Zelina felt the emotions in her friend swell to a new height, screaming against his efforts to keep them at bay. In a single moment, she felt Anakin's control shatter, and it was as if a seismic charge had just gone off.

Anger-pure fury-poured off of Anakin in waves as he glared at the entrance to the hut, the entrance that Zelina knew two Tuskens were standing guard at. The look that was twisted across Anakin's features…it wasn't Anakin. It was as if a completely different person had suddenly taken control. Anakin gently laid his mother down on the floor, waiting until she was safely situated before he began to stand, hand going to his lightsaber.

Zelina could sense the direction his thoughts were taking, and it wasn't hard to figure out what he was going to do. Her hand shot out and she grabbed onto his arm. "Anakin, don't!"

"Let go," he hissed as he yanked his arm free, and Zelina flinched at his tone. She wasn't going to let him take another step though.

She grasped both of his wrists, pulling him back down with more effort than she cared to admit. "Anakin, don't, they're not worth it, and it's wrong! You know it is!"

Anakin fought her grip, eyes glued on the entrance. "They killed her, they deserve to die; every last one of them!" he snarled.

Zelina couldn't help but shiver at the tone of his voice. She had  _never_  seen Anakin like this, and she feared she wouldn't be able to talk some sense into him. She wrapped her arms around his chest to restrain him as he fought even harder to break free and launch himself at the Tuskens outside of the door. "Anakin, listen to me: don't do this, please! Don't give into this! You're better than this, your mother wouldn't want this—"

"Those  _monsters_   _murdered_  her Zelina! I won't rest till every last one of them are  _dead_! They  _killed_ her!" Anakin practically roared. Zelina shrunk from him on the inside, suddenly afraid as she struggled to keep him down. If they hadn't been heard by before, surely they had now.

"And if you lash out at them for revenge you'll become a murderer just like them Anakin," Zelina hissed. "Is that what you want? You know it's wrong Anakin, you know it won't help. You'll cause more harm than good. I won't let you kill them! You  _know_  Shmi wouldn't want you to!"

Anakin slumped a little against her, seemingly struggling not only against her grip now but her words. That went away, however, when the two Tuskens who had been standing guard entered the tent. Both of them snapped into survival mode, and both a purple and a blue blade sprung to life, each smoothly cutting through a Tusken halfway through the Tuskens calling for help.

Zelina swore, though she shifted uncomfortably at the glint that had showed up in Anakin's eyes. Even though they had both acted to keep the two from revealing that they were there, she knew that Anakin's motivation had actually been revenge.

And it seemed he only wanted more.

Zelina felt ice creeping through her, but somehow she forced herself to speak. They could hear the camp coming to life outside. "They know we're here," she muttered.

Anakin seemed unbothered by the statement. In fact, he seemed rather pleased. It gave him an excuse, and she knew it. That's why she made the decision she did.

"Wrap her up Anakin, I'll hold them off and we'll get out of here as fast as possible."

Anakin narrowed his eyes at her. "If you think I'm going to just sit by—"

Zelina grasped his arm in a strong grip, ignoring the deadly glare Anakin shot at her. "You're not thinking clearly, and I'm not going to let you do something you're going to regret later. Get Shmi: we're leaving."

Before he could argue, Zelina let him go, pushing him lightly towards his mother before she exited the hut. Sure enough, the camp was alive with activity. Some ran for shelter or to grab their weapons, while those with their weapons on hand rushed to confront the intruder. The massiffs of the camp also raced at Zelina to confront her. With a deep breath, Zelina plunged herself as far into the Force as she could. She knew the Raiders didn't use blasters, so if she wanted to get through this unscratched, she had to move quickly.

Zelina dodged the first few advances made on her, easily cutting through the massiffs and somewhat reluctantly killing the Raiders. She dodged them for the most part, trying to avoid the spines on the massiffs and the weapons the Raiders wielded.

She did her best to stay by the entrance to the hut. She only wanted to hold them off long enough for Anakin and her to make an escape. Then they would leave as soon as possible. If only Anakin would hurry up…

A scream of warning through the Force came just a fraction too late, and though Zelina moved to try and avoid it, pain erupted in her shoulder, catching her off guard and causing her to cry out in pain. It registered that she'd been shot by a regular bullet, but she did her best to keep going. She ignored the instinct to grasp at her shoulder, making a painful swing at the closest Raider. She missed, tearing his clothes. What was peculiar to her was what happened next.

The Tuskens closest to the one she had only torn the clothes of jumped on the Tusken with the torn clothes, beginning to beat him to death. Zelina stood befuddled for a few seconds before a tidbit of information she'd heard about the Tuskens floated towards her.

_If the skin of a Tusken Raider is revealed, it works as a taboo of sorts. Those closest will turn on the offender immediately and kill them._

Zelina was pulled out of her thoughts when she received another warning through the Force, turning just in time to avoid a deadly blow to the head from a Tusken that had snuck up on her. In fact, there were several Tuskens coming at her at once, probably aiming to overwhelm her. Zelina braced herself, retreating a few steps as her violet blade flashed through two of them. Her lightsaber was knocked out of her hand and she felt a flash of fear go through her before she instinctively reached out and grabbed the Tuskens' gaffi stick with both hands, struggling with the Tusken to keep it from bludgeoning her to death. Her shoulder screamed in pain as they both fought for the gaffi stick, though Zelina just wanted to avoid getting killed. The gaffi stick was at her throat now, and she realized that the Tusken was going to try and cut off her airway. With every passing moment, Zelina's injured shoulder caused her to lose a little more ground. The thought popped into her mind that she might die here, alone in the Tusken Raider camp, only meaning to keep her best friend from doing something horrible and to help him get away with his mother. She gasped for breath, fighting to keep the gaffi stick from cutting off her airway.

There was a familiar snap-hiss sound, and to Zelina's horror the Tusken's head fell on her, its body going lax the next moment. She shoved the body away with a gasp, rubbing her throat as Anakin pulled her to her feet by her arm without a word.

"Thanks," she said breathlessly. He nodded curtly, pressing her lost lightsaber into her hand.

"I think you need that," he said shortly. Zelina could see the fury ablaze in his eyes, and she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to keep him from killing every last one of the Tusken's at this point.

"We need to go," Zelina said, though her statement was ignored as more Tusken's descended on them. For a moment, the two of them fought back to back. However, Anakin was drawn away from her gradually in the fight, and Zelina made the mistake of letting her attention wander away from him.

Zelina had reluctantly cut through another Tusken when she heard a scream much higher pitched than any of the male's screams. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she whipped around in time to see Anakin emerge from one of the huts. She dreaded to know what was inside.

Zelina fought off one more Tusken before she turned and ran after Anakin, who had just entered another hut. What she found inside made bile rise in her throat.

A male Tusken Raider lie dead on the floor, and Anakin towered over the woman and child Tusken, lightsaber ablaze and ready to descend on the two. In three quick strides, Zelina had crossed the hut just in time to grasp Anakin's wrist before his blade could fall on them.

"Anakin,  _no_!" She cried firmly, causing him to come to a complete halt. Her shoulder screamed in pain at the effort it took to hold back Anakin's fatal blow.

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked hotly, the rage burning in his eyes. "They're  _animals_  Zelina! They've killed so many people, and now they've killed my  _mother_! They deserve to die!" he shouted at her.

Zelina didn't flinch, staring him right in the eyes. "And will killing them all, innocent or not, really do any good Anakin? Will becoming a  _murderer_  make it any better? Because no matter what you say, no matter how you look at it,  _this_  is  _murder_ , Anakin. You're  _better_  than this! I  _know_  you are! Don't sink to this level, please, I'm  _begging_  you! Let go of this hate, it will not bring you any good!"

Behind her, the Tusken child whimpered. A few beats of silence passed before Anakin slumped in submission, though his rage was still boiling. Zelina, however, did not loosen her grip on his wrist. "We're leaving. Now."

Zelina pulled Anakin out of the hut, swiftly tearing the fabric of the Tusken that rushed at them. The two Tuskens that rounded the corner spotted the offender, jumping on the Tusken instead of the two Jedi. Zelina shoved Anakin towards the hut that they had found Shmi in. "Go get Shmi; I'll meet you at Owen's bike."

Reluctantly, Anakin obliged, and Zelina did not let her eyes leave him until he entered the hut. Even then, she did not let her gaze leave the hut until she saw his shadowy form dart away from the camp under the cover of darkness.

On the way out of the camp, Zelina ran into a few more Tuskens. Instead of killing them, she tore their clothing, kindling the Tuskens to turn on each other and allowing herself to escape. She did not allow herself to focus on the pain in her shoulder or feel any relief until she had left the camp far behind her and had already scaled halfway up the cliff.

Anakin was pacing nervously by the swoop bike when she reached the top, his eyes riveted on the camp below him.

"Anakin," she called softly.

He jumped a little, glancing at her only for a moment before he looked away shamefully. It seemed his actions were finally starting to dawn on him.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asked her emotionlessly, staring at the bundle on the swoop bike Zelina was sure was his mother.

"I'll be fine," Zelina muttered.

He nodded, taking the front seat of Owen's swoop bike. "We should get out of here."

Zelina put a gentle hand on the hand that he had clenched around one of the handles of the swoop bike. "I'll drive," she told him gently.

"I'm perfectly capable of driving us back," Anakin snapped, meeting her gaze with his own fiery look. Zelina did not flinch, but kept her eyes trained solely on him.

"I never said you weren't. I'm just trying to give you some time."

"Time for what?" he asked sourly.

"Time to mourn," she suggested. "Time to collect yourself. However you use it, it's time that you need Anakin."

He looked away, taking a few deep breaths. "I'll be fine," he said stiffly.

"No you won't. You're not alright now Anakin. Don't argue with me on this," Zelina warned. She sighed, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Please Anakin…"

Anakin shook his head, but relented, prying his hands from the handles and scooting back. Zelina took the seat in front of him with a sigh, starting up the bike.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Anakin didn't say a word.


	13. Treatment

* * *

It was well into the morning whenever they returned to the Lars homestead.

Zelina was dizzy and lightheaded by the time she brought the speeder bike to a pause. Driving hard through the night with a shoulder injury through the night had not been good for her, but they needed to get back from the camp. They needed as far away from the Force-forsaken place as possible.

Anakin had sat behind Zelina for the entire trip, holding his mother's body close to him. Zelina hadn't said a word on the flurry of emotions that she could feel rolling off of him, ranging from pain and regret to fury and hate.

The others raced out of the homestead as Anakin got off of the bike, holding his mother's wrapped body close to him. Zelina put a gentle hand on his arm as he walked by her, letting it drop away as he pressed on. His stony glare caused the others to stop in tracks as he walked by, looking each one of them in the eyes for several hard moments. They all watched him disappear inside of the homestead without a word.

Zelina leaned forward on the bike, her fatigue and injury catching up to her as she buried her face in her hands. Her shoulder repeatedly flashed in pain and her breathing was shallow. Wearily, she glanced at her shoulder, taking in the blossom of blood that had stained through her black and grey clothes with little interest. She had known she was bleeding; the exact amount of blood loss was what was unknown to her. With a sigh, she angled her body so no one could see her wound yet.

She felt Padme's soft hand on her shoulder, but did not raiser her head. "What happened?"

Zelina shook her head ever so slightly. "We got there, she was alive. Before we could even leave…she died in his arms," she said shortly and tiredly. "She couldn't even finish telling him she loved him."

She heard Padme sigh, feeling her sympathy through the Force. "Do you think we should..?"

Zelina shook her head a little more noticeably. "No…not now. Right now he needs time alone…but then we most definitely should. I've never seen him like he was back there. He'll…he'll need us."

In her hands, Zelina grimaced, feeling nauseous as the world tilted around her. She only kept herself steady by staying firmly on the swoop bike. Padme seemed to realize that something was wrong.

"Zelina, are you okay?" Padme asked, putting her hands on both of Zelina's shoulders. Zelina moaned, shifting her left shoulder away from Padme as the pain suddenly intensified.

"Zelina!" Padme gasped, realizing that Zelina's clothes were stained with blood. "Oh my…Zelina, what happened? Can you stand?"

Zelina shook her head. "If I stand…I think I'm going to pass out…"

"We have to get you to stand…were you stabbed? Was it a blaster? What is it?"

"Bullet wound. I got shot…by a Tusken…An…Anakin doesn't know," Zelina groaned as Padme started to move her from the bike. "I…had to get us back…"

Padme turned to the Lars. "Help me with her, she's injured and she needs help," Padme plead.

Zelina kept her eyes closed as one of them—she guessed Owen—came and helped Padme lift her off of the swoop bike.

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Zelina murmured. "Careful, please…" Zelina mumbled. She knew Owen was doing his best, but he kept agitating her arm. She tried to walk with them, but her steps were drunken and she feared she might just be making it worse.

"Why didn't you tell Anakin you were hurt? Why didn't you treat this?" Padme asked her sharply.

"It…wasn't important at the time…and…didn't have…the stuff to…treat it right…" Zelina murmured.

"Beru, do you think you could get us some rags and warm water?" Owen grunted.

"I'll get the medpac," Cliegg rumbled.

"We've got a bed we can put her in."

"It's…always me…isn't it?" Zelina joked lightly. "The bullet…out…"

"She's right; we'll need to get the bullet out before we do anything," Owen told Padme.

"I've never…" Padme started uncertainly.

"I don't think any of us have."

"Hey," Zelina muttered. "The injured one…is still conscious…and can still…hear you…you're not…giving me a good reason to…trust you with my life…you know."

"Zelina hush, we're going to do the best we can. You need the treatment  _right now_. We're going to have to work with what we've got."

"Fun…" Zelina groaned, clenching her teeth. "Well…this will be fun…to explain."

Zelina suddenly felt herself being laid out on a comfortable bed. Padme hastily pulled off one half of Zelina's robe before gingerly tugging off the rest. Zelina could image Padme flinching as Zelina's tabard and tunic was pushed aside to reveal the bleeding hole in Zelina's arm. Zelina hissed as they pushed her arm in a rather uncomfortable direction.

"Sorry," Padme muttered, slipping the clothes down her arm enough to stay out of their way. Zelina heard the other two arrive and finally opened her eyes.

They were all crowded around her on the bed. Well, everyone but Anakin, who was oblivious to what was going on and who knew where. Padme's face was scrunched in worry, and Cliegg stayed out of the way, a medpac in his lap. Beru and Owen stood side by side since Owen was taking some of the rags from Beru, soaking one and wadding the other one up as he spoke to her softly.

Zelina sighed. "This is going to…hurt. Try not to…damage anything…while you're…digging around for…the bullet."

Padme grimaced. "Do you have any idea how deep the bullet went?"

Zelina closed her eyes, searching through the force to locate the bullet. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't that happy with where it was, and she didn't feel like using the Force to pull it out either. She was going to have to let them dig it out. "It…almost went through…it's really deep."

She felt drowsy and just wanted to sleep, but something in the back of her mind told her that if she fell asleep things would only get worse.

"Stay with me Zelina," she heard Padme say.

"I'm here…" Zelina murmured, forcing her eyelids open again. Padme took the wet rag from Owen and started to clean up her shoulder, revealing the hole they would have to find the bullet in. Own held up the rag he had wadded up.

"You might want this to bite on when we start digging. We don't have any sedatives."

Zelina sighed again. "Give it here…"

Owen helped to situate it in her mouth as Cliegg came closer to oversee things and have provide the medpac the instant that it was needed. "Owen…hold her down. Padme; you're going to have to be the one to get the bullet. Beru, help Owen."

Zelina closed her eyes, not wanting to see what was coming. She sorely wished that she was near a good hospital, but instead they were by the Jundland Wastes. There wasn't any help for miles.

_Try not…to tear any…nerves or muscle…and don't hit bone_ , Zelina thought desperately as she suddenly felt what she prayed wasn't tweezers start to dig into her shoulder, searching out the bullet. She tensed, then did her best to relax, not wanting to make it even harder for Padme to find the bullet. She clamped her jaw down on the rag, eyes squeezed shut as she struggled not to make a sound.

_Oh Force it hurts, it hurts; kriff!_   _Chuba!_

Padme found the bullet, the tweezers hitting the end and digging it deeper into Zelina's shoulder on accident. Zelina let out a scream of agony, clamping back down on the rag while Owen and Beru held her tightly to the bed, doing their best to keep her from bucking and making it worse.

Padme, meanwhile, was doing her best to keep her hand steady as she poked around inside Zelina's shoulder to get a good grip on the bullet. It was so excruciating that Zelina gave another cry of pain, straining against Owen and Beru instinctively to get away from the pain. Maybe she would just leave the bullet in there…

There was the sound of footsteps rushing towards them, and suddenly Zelina heard an all-too-welcome voice, her eyes snapping open.

"What the  _kriff_  is going on?" Anakin exclaimed, standing frozen in the doorway as he took in the scene in front of him.

Anakin started Padme and she jumped, the tweezers striking bone in Zelina's arm. Zelina cried out in pain once more, eyes snapping shut.

"She was shot…we're trying to get the bullet out," Padme explained weakly. Zelina worked the rag out of her mouth. It wasn't doing her any good anymore.

"Before you ask…it was back…at the camp," she forced out. Padme had removed the tweezers, not wanting to hurt her any further.

"I can't get it," Padme said desperately.

Anakin crossed the room in several quick strides. "Here, let me…"

Everyone backed away like he asked, and Zelina blinked blearily at him as he leaned over her, checking her wound himself. She could sense him reaching out with the Force, trying to locate the bullet as he placed a gentle hand on her forehead.

"When?" he asked her, putting his other hand over the wound as he looked her right in the eyes.

"Before…you came out of the…hut," Zelina murmured. Her head was swimming, and her eyelids began to droop. It would be so much easier to just go to sleep…

"Stay with me Zelina," she heard Anakin say firmly. She could feel his hand slide from her forehead to her cheek, keeping her head up. "Don't go to sleep,  _stay with me_."

His tone of voice was what brought her back. She was reminded of his voice as his mother had died in his arms; he had the same tone. She blinked up at him. If he wanted her to stay awake then she would, even if she didn't like it. And everything was just taking so much effort…how much blood had she lost?

She felt his hand running through her hair as he spoke again. "You know this is going to hurt Zelina but you've got to trust me, alright?"

"I trust you Anakin…you know I do."

"Try to relax…" she heard him murmur. In an attempt to do as he asked, she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and focusing on his hand running through her hair in comfort.

A moment later she felt the bullet start to shift in her shoulder.

Zelina grit her teeth, trying her best to ignore the pain and focus on the rhythmic feeling of Anakin's hand through her hair. Anakin, it seemed, was using the Force to pull the bullet out of her shoulder.

"What are you—" Owen started to ask.

"Let him focus," Padme said sharply, cutting him off.

Anakin pulled the bullet further along a little too fast, and Zelina gave a cry of pain. The bullet's progress stopped and Zelina felt Anakin smooth her hair down and press a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Shh…It's alright Zelina, just a little longer and you'll be fine, I promise."

Anakin might have only meant the gesture to be comforting, but Zelina's breath caught in her throat and she gradually melted, suddenly feeling extremely light. She was absolutely sure that she had relaxed considerably now, and she took deep breathes, putting her mind elsewhere as she felt the bullet begin to move upward again at a steady and slow pace. Anakin was taking great care to not do any more damage as he coaxed the bullet out, never ceasing in his soothing gestures as he coaxed it out.

Zelina heard a gasp of surprise being stifled from Beru and Owen as she felt the bullet finally leave her shoulder. Anakin pressed his hand tightly to the wound to stop the bleeding, ceasing his soothing motions so he could catch the bullet with his other hand.

"Cliegg, I need that medpac," Anakin stated. Zelina could hear the chink as he set the bullet down nearby. "Stay awake Zelina," Anakin reminded her a moment later.

"I'm here…" she mumbled.

"Good, you  _stay_  here," Anakin said firmly. Moments later, Zelina felt a bacta pad being applied to her arm.

_Of course, there's bacta pads in all standard medpacs,_  Zelina thought vaguely.

"You're going to be just fine Zelina…I promise…just stay awake a little longer, we need to make sure that you'll be okay before you rest…alright?" Anakin asked.

"Okay…" Zelina sighed.

"You were just shot in the shoulder, right? There's no other injuries?"

Zelina shook her head. "No…just the…shoulder."

Anakin was silent a little longer as he gently stroked her hair, and Zelina could sense him probing at her through the Force to be sure that she would be alright. Finally, he spoke again.

"You can go ahead and sleep now Zee…you'll be alright…"

"Thank you…Anakin…" Zelina breathed, blissfully slipping into the darkness of unconsciousness that had beckoning to her.

* * *

Anakin stared at Zelina as she swiftly fell asleep, gently tucking a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. The irrational fear that he would lose her slowly started to fade, but he still couldn't get it out of his head. If he would have lost Zelina as well as his mother…

Padme's hand on his shoulder reminded him that he was not alone with Zelina in the room. He jumped a little, turning his attention to her.

"She'll be alright," he said tiredly. He frowned when he noticed the red substance all over his hands. His confusion, however, only lasted for a moment before it dawned on him that it was Zelina's blood. He felt sick in his stomach, and he averted his gaze. He needed to get it off; he couldn't stand to have her blood on his hands.

"You should get some rest too Anakin," Padme said quietly.

He didn't answer her. He didn't want to. He didn't think he could possibly rest now. Instead of answering her, he kept his eyes trained on Zelina, watching her sleep. He frowned at her bloodied clothes.

Beru stepped forward, gathering Zelina's bloodied cloak and pulling the sheet over Zelina as she started to take off Zelina's other layers. "I'll wash her clothes," Beru stated.

"Thank you," Anakin told her with a weak smile. His attempt broke a moment later, and he sighed. "I'll be in the garage…" he said softly. It was one of the few places he knew he would be able to think.

And he had lot to think about.


	14. A Call for Help

Anakin was alone in the garage, tinkering mindlessly with anything he could find that was broken in the garage. Though the only sound in the room was the sound him messing with what was currently in front of him, Anakin's mind was a storm of emotions and thoughts. He didn't know how much longer he could keep himself together.

Against his better judgment, Anakin's thoughts turned to what remained of the Tuskens out in the open desert. His expression soured and he scowled, glaring at nothing in particular as the dark thoughts came to him.

_None of them should be there…they should have all died, every last one of them…I should have killed them all for what they did…_

Zelina's words back at the camp echoed back to him in painful clarity.

_Will killing them all, innocent or not, really do any good Anakin? Will becoming a_ murderer _make it any better? Because no matter what you say, no matter how you look at it,_ this _is_ murder,  _Anakin!_

Anakin swallowed the bile that rose in his throat at the memory, retreating from his original train of thought almost immediately. He had killed some of the women and children before Zelina stopped him, and now he had their blood on his hands. She was right, he was a murderer now. And here he was, wanting to kill more of the Tuskens.

_What's_ wrong _with me?_

He hit the machine piece in his hands a little harder than necessary, setting it down with a growl as he ran a hand through his hair. Everything felt as if it was falling apart around him. He hadn't stayed on Naboo like Obi-Wan had told him to and would probably make Obi-Wan furious at him if Obi-Wan found out, Zelina was unconscious and injured, and his mother was…

He clamped down on the thought before it could get any further. It wasn't going to do him any good to think about it. If he could help it, he was going to deny it just a little longer. Desperately, he cast his thoughts elsewhere.

He found his mind wandering to the other room, where his…step-family and Zelina were. He didn't know what to think of his step-brother and step-father yet. He had not expected his mother to get  _married_  while he was gone, and he wasn't sure if he was okay with it either. Seeing Owen made him wonder if his mother had tried to replace him…

And then there was Zelina. An ache grew in his chest as he thought of what his actions had done to her. If he hadn't lost his temper, then perhaps they could have gotten out of that camp without attracting the attention of any of the Tuskens and Zelina would have never been shot.

Then there was the other thing that ate at him. Zelina hadn't said a word to him that she had been injured. He'd heard the shot and her cry, but he hadn't thought that it had been serious damage. He'd figured by the way she was acting that it had only been a graze and she had already dealt with it. But he'd been wrong, and she had been bleeding out as she drove them back to the Lars Homestead. Had she been…was she afraid of him? Was she disgusted by him? Would she be able to look at him without seeing him as a murderer? Would she be able to forgive him?

Would she tell Padme?

Would she turn him into the Jedi Council?

Anakin suddenly felt sick as he leaned forward, trying to even out his breaths. He had seen the way she looked at him back at the camp, and he couldn't shake it. No, he was sure she would never forgive him.

" _I trust you Anakin…you know I do."_

As the thought came back to him, Anakin suddenly became very confused. When he'd come to help her…it almost was like nothing had happened. As if she had possibly…forgiven him.

But could she have so soon? Could she ever really? How could she trust him after watching him slaughter so many people.

He would have to see, as petrified as it made him to think of bringing the topic up to her, if she would forgive him and what she would do about what had happened.

Anakin straightened, doing his best to compose himself as he sensed Padme approaching the garage. He blinked as he came back down to Tatooine, focusing intently on the piece in front of him as he aimlessly worked with what was in front of him. Only now did he remember he was working on a piece from the swoop bike. His own thoughts had him so confused he kept forgetting what he was doing.

Padme entered the room quietly, stopping just off to his side. "I brought you something…" she said softly. "Are you hungry?"

_No, I'm not. I'm far from hungry_ , Anakin thought bitterly. "The shifter broke," he said, cursing himself silently when his voice wavered. "Life seems so much simpler when you're fixing things," he added, attempting a smile.

Padme slowly put down the tray she had been holding as Anakin continued, practically rambling now. "I'm good at fixing things. Always was. But I couldn't…"

His voice broke. He had officially failed at distracting himself from the painful truth of what had happened back at the camp. Part of him wished Zelina was there with him, while the other part was glad that Padme was there.

What overshadowed both feelings was the growing pain of his loss. That insufferable pain that he just wanted to end…the guilt…it was his fault, he'd failed her, he'd failed his mother when she needed him most.

Anakin raised his gaze to meet Padme's, as if she had his answers. "Why'd she have to die? Why couldn't I save her? I  _know_  I could have!"

When he realized Padme didn't have the answers either he turned away, crossing the room as he tried to think of the answer he so desperately craved.

_Why?_

"Sometimes there are things  _no one_  can fix," Padme said softly, her own voice shaking. "You're not all powerful Ani—"

"Well I should be!" Anakin snapped back.  _Then I could have saved her. I could stop this from ever happening ever again._

"Someday I will be. I will be the most… _powerful_ Jedi ever!" he vowed before he spun around to face Padme. "I promise you! I will even learn to stop people from  _dying!_ "

"Anakin…" Padme said softly. He couldn't stand to see the look on her face, so similar to the way Zelina had looked at him when he'd first tried to go at the Tuskens in the hut right after his mother died. He looked away, unable to stand the sight.

"It's all Obi-Wan's fault!" he suddenly blurted out. He had no one else to blame but him. "He's jealous! He's holding me  _back_!" he suddenly shouted, pitching the tool in his hand into the other room. Once more he turned his back on Padme, unable to stand the look that could have possibly graced her face at his outburst.

"What's wrong Ani?" Padme asked. It was like she could see right through him. She knew that it was more than just the death of his mother bothering him.

The painful flow of suppressed thoughts came back to him painfully fast.

_Murderer, that's what you are. A cold-blooded murderer. Do you even honestly regret what you did?_

Anakin choked over his words for a moment, trying to steady his breathing enough so that he could talk. "I…I…"

He stopped, running a hand down his face as he struggled to find the words to explain how he was feeling. Did he even want to admit this to Padme? He didn't even know if Zelina could forgive him. Would Padme be able to? Or would she see him as a monster and leave?

"I wanted to kill them all…every last one of them…and I would have too...but...Zelina wouldn't let me. She stopped me before…before I could get too far…"

Slowly and reluctantly, Anakin turned around, still avoiding Padme's gaze. "But I still did…I killed as many of them that I could get my hands on whether they were men, women, children…and I wouldn't have stopped if she hadn't been there. Even now, I want to go back there and finish them off! I hate them  _so much_!" he shouted furiously. "But if I did, she would never forgive me…I don't know if she even will now. And I…I hate myself for it…" he finished, his voice cracking.

His energy spent and his feelings finally out there, Anakin sat on the floor in resignation, trying to hold back the tears that sparkled in his eyes. The look on Padme's face…he couldn't take it. He shouldn't have said anything…

Padme surprised him by crouching down beside him instead of running away as he tried to even out his breathing again. "To be angry is to be human," Padme said gently. Instead of letting her words comfort him, Anakin shook his head, Zelina's words returning to him once more.

_You're better than this! Don't give into this, your mother wouldn't want this!_

_You're better than this! I know you are! Don't sink to this level, please, I'm begging you! Let go of this hate, it will not bring you any good!_

_You're better than this…_

"I'm a Jedi. I  _know_  I'm better than this," Anakin said, his voice trembling.

And then he broke. He finally broke, and Padme stayed with him to comfort him, holding him close as he cried.

* * *

The sun blazed above them as they all stood together outside at Shmi's funeral. Zelina had woken not too long ago, feeling much better and ready for action again.

At least, she felt that way physically.

She had lost both Shmi and her father in the past twelve hours, and she was sure that the connection between Anakin and Padme had grown even stronger while Zelina was unconscious. She felt so very alone right now as Cliegg gave the eulogy for Shmi's funeral.

"I know that…wherever you are…it's become a better place. You were the most…loving partner a man could ever have. Goodbye my darling wife…and thank you," Cliegg finished.

Anakin slowly moved forward, and Zelina's gaze followed him, her mind wandering to the vision she'd had while she was unconscious.

_Why did she have to die? Why couldn't I save her? I_ know _I could have!_

Her eyes teared up as she thought of the pain that Anakin was experiencing right now. She wanted to pull him into a tight hug and tell him that he was not alone, that he was loved; but she couldn't. This was the first time she'd seen him since he'd pulled the bullet out of her arm. Right now wasn't the time though, she could see that clearly. Anakin needed this last moment with his mother.

She watched as he kneeled on her grave, gathering a fist full of sand. It almost seemed as if holding some of the sand lying over his mother would give him some sense of holding Shmi himself. Like he was holding a piece of her. Glancing at the others, she tuned her hearing with the Force to hear what he said.

"I wasn't strong enough to save you mom…I wasn't strong enough…but I promise;  _I won't fail again_."

Zelina felt the tears slide down her cheek at his words, taking a deep breath while her heart ached painfully and a shiver of premonition ran down her spine. She'd been having a lot of those recently.

Zelina brought her attention back to Anakin as he took a deep breath himself, standing up once more without tearing his gaze from his mother's gaze. "I miss you…" Anakin whispered. " _So_   _much!_ " he added forcefully.

Zelina was sure she was the only one who heard the pained statement. As he stepped away, Zelina hesitantly went to his side, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "Anakin…"

He inclined his head, glancing at her for a moment before looking away in…was that shame she saw? Zelina leaned her head against Anakin's shoulder, wrapping her arm around him at the same time. "You're not alone, alright? I'm here…Padme's here…you don't have to go through this alone," she whispered.

Anakin didn't look at her. "Why? How could you possibly forgive me Zelina? After what I did…"

"Because I know you, Anakin. I care about you, and I'm not going to give up on you. I've made you several promises, and I'm keeping every single one of them, all right? I'm with you; no matter what. You're a good person Anakin, I know you are. I'm not going to condemn you for what happened back there. I  _forgive you_. I'm  _with you_."

_I love you._

Anakin seemed shocked, processing what she told him as he searched for words. Finally he met her eyes, and Zelina found herself entranced once more by the deep blue pools of emotion she found holding her gaze.

"Thank you," he whispered softly.

"Always Anakin…always."

Before Anakin could say anything more, they all heard familiar beeps behind them.

"R2?" Padme asked, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"It seems that he is carrying a message from an Obi-Wan Kenobi," 3PO translated as Anakin and Zelina both moved closer to the group. "Hm, Master Ani, does that name mean anything to you?" he inquired.

Zelina glanced at him with a frown. "It must be something important."

Anakin nodded curtly. "We'd better see it now."

Zelina had the feeling Anakin was gladly accepting the distraction. With a sigh, they all made their way to the ship to see what Obi-Wan had for them.

* * *

"Anakin, my long range transmitter has been knocked out. Retransmit this message to Coruscant."

Zelina frowned, leaning against the wall as she watched Obi-Wan's holographic image intently. Whatever was happening, she had the feeling that it was monumentally important. Obi-Wan had found something big.

Anakin and Padme did as Obi-Wan instructed. Now the Jedi Council would see this message as well. Zelina sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly for a moment.

"I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries in Geonosis. The Trade Federation is to take delivery of a droid army here. And it is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala."

Zelina watched Obi-Wan closely, taking note of the fact that he looked away every moment, as if he was expected to be jumped at any moment. Anakin was soaking in the information even though he looked tired and pained, though he was desperately trying to hide it. His mother's death had taken its toll on him already.

"The Commerce Guilds and the Corporate Alliance have both pledged their armies to Count Dooku, and are forming a—"

Obi-Wan suddenly broke off, and Zelina stood ramrod straight, eyes glued to the hologram in front of her.

"Wait…" Obi-Wan pulled out his lightsaber swiftly, activating it. "Wait!"

Zelina watched in silent horror as Obi-Wan was driven from view of the hologram, a destroyer droid coming into view. She put a hand over her mouth to hid her reaction, closing her eyes as she silently prayed.

_Force, please not Obi-Wan too, please, not Obi-Wan…_

Anakin seemed to be having a very similar reaction across from her, and she could sense the dread and fear coming off of him in waves. Zelina couldn't really hear anything as she stared where Obi-Wan had been seen just moments ago, her mind trying to figure out just how long it had been since Obi-Wan had recorded the image.

Mace Windu's voice broke through her thoughts. "Anakin, Zelina: we will deal with Count Dooku. The most important thing for you is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs.  _That_  is your first mission."

Anakin hung his head reluctantly, taking a deep breath. "Understood Master," Anakin replied.

Zelina didn't say anything.

"He'll never get there in time to save him they'll have to come halfway across the Galaxy!" Padme exclaimed. Zelina rocked back and forth on her heels, trying to contain her aggravation at Windu. Padme was right: the Council was too far away. Anakin simply stared at the place where Windu's picture had been moments before, seemingly frozen in place.

"Look!" Padme pulled up a map of the Galaxy. "Geonosis is less than a parsec away."

"If he's still alive," Anakin said harshly.

"Don't tell me you've already given up on him!" Zelina suddenly exclaimed, staring at Anakin in shock.

"Ani, are you just going to sit here and let him  _die_?" Padme asked incredulously. "He's your  _friend_ , your  _mentor_!"

"He's like my  _father_!" Anakin snapped at them both. "But you heard Master Windu, he gave us strict orders to  _stay here_!"

"And that's stopped you before?" Zelina asked. "Anakin, he's like a brother or father to me too. We can't just  _stay here!_   _I_ can't stay here! Not when I know that he's in trouble."

"He gave you strict orders to protect  _me_ ," Padme said. "And  _I'm_ going to help Obi-Wan. If you plan to protect me, you'll have to come with me."

Zelina smiled at her. "I'm in."

Anakin smiled as well, his eyes sparkling. "Well then…I guess I will. It's not like you two have given me much of a choice."

Zelina chuckled before she turned her attention back to the holoprojecter they had just seen Obi-Wan's message on, and uneasy feeling seeping through her.

_Don't worry Obi-Wan…we're coming for you._


	15. Geonosis

* * *

As they prepared to land on Geonosis, Anakin handed the controls over to Padme and stood, making his way over to Zelina.

"How's your shoulder?" he asked quietly, putting a tender hand on the injured arm. She shrugged.

"I'll live. I've had worse," she said with a small smile.

Anakin frowned. "You did almost…die Zelina. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Anakin, I'm fine," she said soothingly. "I'll admit it still hurts a little and I'll have to keep the activity on a down low to be safe, but I'll manage. Besides, I use my other arm when I handle my lightsaber."

His frown only deepened and he gave a small huff. "Well, you should probably stay close to me, just in case something happens. The last thing we need is for you to get separated while you're injured."

Zelina chuckled a little. "You worry too much about me Ani."

His expression remained serious. "You give me good reason to."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine Anakin. Trust me."

He sighed. "All right, I'll hold you to that."

She shook her head and followed him as he retook his position as pilot, peering out at the surface of Geonosis. "From one desert planet to another, huh? Well, we'll see if it's any better than Tatooine."

"I bet it is," Anakin said somewhat darkly.

"Yeah, the place has to be really bad to beat out Tatooine."

Padme suddenly cut off their idle chatter. "See those columns of steam straight ahead? Their exhaust vents of some type."

"That'll do," Anakin mumbled, aiming the ship in the direction of the steam. Anakin slowly and carefully landed the ship right in the center of the steam, hiding them from view of any possible onlookers or passerby. Zelina sighed as they all got up, readjusting her cloak so that it covered her better. She was very grateful that Beru had washed them, though she hadn't had the time to fix them. So there was still a hole all the way through all the layers of clothes. And if Zelina was going to be picky, any trained eye could see that there had been a blood stain. Thankfully, she didn't mind. It wasn't going to hinder her, just raise questions from others.

"Look, whatever happens out there, follow my lead. I'm not interested in getting into a war here. As a member of the Senate, maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess," Padme stated, suddenly startling Zelina out of her thoughts. Zelina frowned. Since when had Padme been leading the rescue of Obi-Wan?

Anakin smirked a little. "Don't worry; I've given up trying to argue with you."

Zelina sighed a little. "Why do I have the feeling we're walking into a mess anyway?"

"Have a little faith Zee," Anakin quipped as they decended the ramp.

"I'm just going off of our track record. Since when has anything ever been easy with us?"

"Unfortunately you make a good point," Anakin mumbled.

Anakin found the door within the steam, and the three of them cautiously crept into the dark hallway. The hairs on the back of Zelina's neck stood on end as her eyes scanned the dark walls and she strained to see any possible movement.

They all heard the buzzing and clicking noise that suddenly echoed down the hall, slowing in their pace as all of them stood on high alert. Anakin and Zelina both instinctively reached out towards the Force, not quite tapping into it yet but ready to at a moment's notice.

"Wait…" Anakin said softly, reaching out slightly to stop Padme from moving any further ahead of him. In the next moment, they both heard the noise again, and a warning through the Force caused both Jedi to activate their lightsabers and spin around to confront the insect-like creatures that had tried to sneak up on them. Padme raced ahead as Anakin and Zelina faced off with the creatures that Zelina cursed herself for not noticing.

Zelina made sure to keep her actions to one handed moves, doing her best to avoid any use of the left arm. Though as she took in the number of the insects in the hallway alone, she began to feel as if she was going to have to resort to both arms anyway. Both Anakin and Zelina used a simultaneous Force Push to send several of the insects flying backwards. As side doors opened to let a new wave of the insects spill in already, Zelina grimaced, retreating a few steps. She didn't like the thought of fighting so many in such an enclosed, dark space. They would most likely be overwhelmed if they stayed in the small hall. Anakin seemed to have the same thought as here, and they both retreated to come even with Padme, keeping the insects off of her.

They all froze when they found themselves at a dead end, staring at a drop that went right into the complex droid factory. Unfortunately, they didn't have much time to figure out what was going on, because suddenly the door shut and the small platform they were standing on swiftly retreated into the wall. Anakin grabbed onto the door, as did Zelina, her arm screaming in pain as she struggled to hold herself up despite the agony ripping through her shoulder. Padme dropped onto one of the conveyer belts below.

"Padme!" Anakin cried out the same time Zelina's arm failed her. She dropped with cry of pain, unable to hold on much longer. Anakin grabbed her arm and she gasped from shock as her shoulder was jolted, tears watering. "I got you Zelina!" Anakin gasped, refusing to let her fall as well.

Anakin stared at Padme's retreating form being carried away by the conveyer belt. "Zelina, do you trust me?"

"One hundred percent," Zelina gasped.

"Good. Then kick off and jump. You'll be fine, I promise."

Zelina nodded, doing exactly as he asked. She landed on the same conveyer belt as Padme with a thud, the wind momentarily knocked out of her. A moment later Anakin landed beside her, helping her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I will be," she gasped out, hand on her shoulder as they looked around the vast room. She gripped her lightsaber even tighter, her breathing coming a little faster. "So much for not using my left."

Anakin grimaced, glancing at her arm. "Sorry."

"It's going to happen, don't apologize, its fine."

The insects didn't give them long to recuperate, descending on them almost immediately. Zelina let Anakin take the lead, painfully swinging her own lightsaber at any insect that got too close to her. She clenched her jaw, staying as close to Anakin as she dared with him swinging the lightsaber at anything that got too close. The weapons the insects fired at her didn't help at all, causing her to have to duck and roll painfully on her shoulder more than once.

Anakin startled her by jumping off the conveyer belt they were currently on. Zelina scrambled after him, barely dodging the robotic arms that threatened to hit her hard on the head.

"Anakin!"

He paused in his flurry of lightsaber actions, startled. It seemed he had decided to drop on the busiest line, and Zelina didn't think she was in any condition to keep up with him. Before Zelina could say anything, Anakin had to duck from a shot from one of the insects guns. She pulled back, narrowly avoiding getting burned to a crisp by flames. At the same time, one of the insects took a shot at her and Zelina jumped out of the way.

Too far out of the way.

With a cry, she went toppling over the edge, twisting in midair to try and land on her right shoulder. She didn't feel like another spurt of pain. In her peripherals, she took in the sight of several insects flying down toward her, and she knew that she was going to get caught. She landed with a thud on another belt, arms flinging out over the edge. She almost lost her lightsaber, but managed to keep ahold of it, slipping it deep into her sleeve as she struggled to re-catch her breath. Her head swam and her shoulder throbbed as she heard several of the insects land around her. One of them roughly jerked her to her feet and she snarled at them. It earned her a sharp jab in the back with one of their guns as the conveyer belt came to a slow halt, and Zelina leaned over, taking a few deep breaths. There were too many of them for her to fight off in her condition alone. She had to surrender.

The insects grew impatient, forcing her forward.

None of them saw that she had slipped her lightsaber out of her sleeve and into her boot when they weren't looking. They all thought that she had dropped it when she landed.

* * *

Too soon for Zelina's liking, Anakin, Padme, and Zelina were all on chariots about to be brought to their execution. Padme and Anakin stood in the front while Zelina stood behind them, fiddling with her bonds in mild annoyance. None of them had said anything since they had been captured, though Zelina was sure the reality of their situation was starting to settle in for each of them. The sound of the Geonosian people thundered through the arena in front of them.

"Don't be afraid," Anakin said gently to Padme.

Padme stared evenly at Anakin. "I'm not afraid to die," she said quietly. All of them grew still at Padme's statement, each one of them letting her words sink in.

_This is really happening_ , Zelina thought.

"I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life," Padme continued softly.

"What are you talking about?" Anakin asked in a hushed voice. Zelina could sense a flicker of hope rise in him, and she kept her back to them, her gaze averted. She didn't want to see this. She didn't even know if she could stand to hear it. Zelina felt Anakin's eyes flicker towards her, sensing the rush of gratitude from him that she was letting them have their moment.

"I love you…" Padme admitted.

The pure joy and love that Zelina felt erupt off of Anakin at those three little words washed away any jealousy she might have felt towards Padme. Zelina had never felt him so happy, and to know that he was happy…

It gave Zelina peace.

She closed her eyes, sorting through her own jumbled emotions as what was happening completely settled in. She was overjoyed that Anakin was so happy…but it also pained her on a deep level, because she knew what would come after this. She knew what would happen…

And she still loved him herself.

"You love me?" Anakin asked cautiously, as if what he had heard was too good to be true. A moment later he spoke again, his voice much more controlled. "I thought that we had decided not to fall in love? That we would be forced to live a lie. And that it would destroy our lives."

Zelina kept her eyes trained on her bonds, waiting in tense anticipation for Padme's answer.

"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway…" There were a few more moments of silence before Padme spoke again. "I truly…deeply…love you. And before we die I want you to know…"

Zelina bit her lip as she heard the discreet sound of a kiss, feeling the tears leak out of her eyes as she struggled not to make a sound. It hurt her  _so much_  to stand there as Anakin and Padme professed their love for each other. She wanted to tell him how she felt too, but she couldn't now. How could she possibly break this moment? How could she ruin what could possibly be their last words? How could she throw the joy Anakin had at this very moment completely off balance? She couldn't do it, she just couldn't.

The chariot lurched forward, and Zelina had to regain her footing, blinking the remaining tears out of her eyes and wiping her face furiously with her good shoulder to dispose of the evidence. The blinding Geonosian sun hurt her eyes after being in the dark for so long. She blinked as her vision adjusted while they were pulled into the arena

While Anakin and Padme took in the arena around them, Zelina stared at her boot.

She still had her lightsaber.

"You know…I think it might be a good time to mention something…" She said quietly to the two, making sure none of the Geonosians leading their chariot could hear her.

Anakin frowned, glancing back at her. "Mention what?"

"Listen."

She bumped her boot lightly against the chariot's edge, and several distinct yet soft  _chinks_  reached their ears. Understanding dawned on Anakin's face first.

"You still have yours," he breathed. "Why didn't you use it?"

"Because there were too many," Zelina replied easily.

"How did you get away with it?"

"They thought it fell out of my hand, but I just slipped it down my sleeve and into my boot when they weren't looking."

Anakin shook his head, staring at her incredulously. "If it weren't for you and your thievery skills Zee…"

"Where would we all be, I know."

"What are we going to do?" Padme whispered to them.

"Wait for an opportunity," Zelina responded simply.

"How's that arm treating you Zee?" Anakin asked wearily.

Zelina grimaced. "It got knocked around a lot, and I landed on it a few times…but I can make due."

"Are you sure?"

"If it means we get out of here alive, I'm sure."

The chariot reached the tall posts in the middle of the arena, and Zelina caught sight of Obi-Wan chained to the nearest post. He stared at Anakin in a look that could only be described as disbelief and disappointment. Possibly even annoyance.

Once Anakin and Zelina caught his gaze, they couldn't look away.

The chariot lurched to a stop and the geonosians began to lead them to their designated spots. She could sense the new sense of determination from both Anakin and Padme to live as they were each chained to a post, Zelina the farthest from Obi-Wan on the other side of Padme.

What Obi-Wan said to Anakin drifted towards her.

"I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message," Obi-Wan said sarcastically.

"I retransmitted it just as you had requested, Master; then we decided to come and rescue you," Anakin replied sincerely.

"Good job," Obi-Wan replied tersely. Zelina could see Anakin scowling in her mind's eye as she took in the arena around her, her brain working overtime to try and think of a way she could get to her lightsaber in a moment's notice.

"Don't be so criticizing Master; Zee has a plan."

"Oh, and I'm guessing getting captured was part of that plan?"

"No…but she has a backup. She's got it under control."

"And just what exactly is her backup?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Have a little faith—hey, watch it!" Zelina broke off to snap at the Geonosian who tugged rather roughly on her chains, jolting her shoulder. "Have a little more faith in me Obi-Wan, come on," she called, leaning forward enough to flash him a dazzling smile. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure whatever it is, it will be effective," Obi-Wan replied.

"It will be," she answered, leaning back against the post. "I just need to figure out how to get to it first…" she muttered.

Zelina stiffened as the gates in front of them began to open, glancing at the others in tense anticipation. She couldn't help but shrink a little inside when an acklay, a reek, and a nexu emerged from three of the gates. The fourth she could only see a large shadow at the moment, and her heart thudded in her chest. She watched anxiously as the nexu attacked the Geonosian prodding it forward.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Anakin murmured. While the Geonosians prodded those three forward, Zelina watched several more rush towards the fourth one she figured housed the creature meant for her. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as she stared at the black opening.

Finally, the creature was slowly dragged into the light and Zelina suddenly erupted in a slew of huttese curses that had Anakin and Obi-Wan staring at her in open shock while she tugged at her chains.

A kimogila was stalking past the gates, its beady black eyes riveted on Zelina.

Zelina looked over at the other three, taking note that Padme was fiddling with her chains. "If any of you complain about what you're pitted against, you and I are going to have words," Zelina griped.

Zelina took note of the fact that the acklay was pushed towards Obi-Wan, the reek was prodded towards Anakin, and the nexu was slowly corralled towards Padme. The kimogila was all too happy to make its own beeline towards Zelina. Her mind raced through what she knew about kimogilas.

_Can get as large as a krayt dragon, vicious, relentless, territorial, resilient armor-like scales that will withstand anything but the strongest anti-personnel weapons, and contains one of the strongest venoms in the galaxy; one bite and the victim will die in seconds. This should be easy!_

Zelina looked over, smiling when she saw Padme had got free. It was probably time she worked out her own escape…

"Just relax; concentrate," Obi-Wan instructed.

"What about Padme?" Anakin asked.

"She seems to be on top of things," Obi-Wan returned.

Zelina couldn't help but laugh at the look on Anakin's face as he turned around to see Padme climbing her post. The action, however, gave Zelina her own idea. Tearing her attention away from her companions in the belief that they would be fine on their own, Zelina gathered her courage and turned her back on the kimogila. She gripped the chains in her hand tightly and started to scale the post, climbing as fast as her wounded shoulder would let her. She made sure to keep an eye on the kimogila behind her as she climbed, nervous that she wouldn't be able to get where she wanted before it reached her.

Sure enough, it reached her whenever she was about halfway up the post. As it reared up to snap at her, Zelina grit her teeth in determination and kicked off of the post, allowing herself to swing out and kick the kimogila right in the nose. It howled and retreated back to the ground as Zelina collided with the post again and she struggled to regain her footing, gasping as she fought to ignore the sharp pain she was experiencing in her arm. Once her feet were solidly back against the post, Zelina continued her climb. She just wanted to get a little farther…

Finally she came to a halt and she evened herself out, braced against the post and perfectly horizontal with it. She stuck out her left hand, holding on tightly to the chain with her right so she wouldn't strain her shoulder. Reaching out through the Force, she called the hidden lightsaber into her hand. In the next moment she simultaneously kicked off of the post into a backflip, cutting her chain in half and setting herself mostly free. She landed elegantly on both feet behind the kimogila, cutting her bonds in half as the huge beast whipped around with a snarl to face her. Zelina held her lightsaber in both hands, staring intently at the creature as she waited for it to make its move.

The kimogila lunged at her, and Zelina spun out of its way, lashing out with her lightsaber to cut it down its shoulder. The kimogila howled, its head whipping around to snap at her. She jumped out of the way just in time, its fangs missing her by a hairs breath. The creature left no intermission between its attacks, rearing up before charging at her with a howl. Zelina through herself out of the way, getting up in time to get in a clean slash across the back of its leg. The now enraged kimogila quickly turned to come back at her, advancing quickly with its jaws wide open to snap at her as it exuded a low and hair-raising hiss. This time, Zelina stood her ground, dropping at the last minute to slide under the kimogila as she jabbed upward with her lightsaber.

"Zee!" she heard Anakin shout. It sounded like he was coming closer…

She pushed herself back upwards frantically as the kimogila went slack, deactivating her lightsaber and holding up the kimogila's impaled head with her right arm as she struggled to get out from underneath it. The last thing she wanted was to kill the thing only to be crushed by its body. She pulled herself to her feet, breathing heavily as she stared at the kimogila's dead body. That had been a close one.

"Zee," she heard Anakin say again, this time right above her. Zelina jumped as she felt his strong hand grab her, lifting her onto the back of… _the reek?_

"Um…do I want to know?" Zelina panted, wrapping her arms around Padme's waist as she got situated.

"I'm just good with animals," Anakin joked. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live. Why don't we go pick up Obi-Wan? That seems like a good idea, right?"

Anakin had already turned the reek around. "Already on it."

It seemed they came at the right time, because Obi-Wan was already running in their direction. He leaped onto the back of the reek, panting heavily. "What did I miss?" he asked.

Zelina chuckled. "Here, let me help you with that."

She reached over and activated her lightsaber and cut his bonds in half. "Better?"

"Much, thank you. How did you manage to sneak that past the Geonosians and Dooku?"

She smiled mischievously. "A girl has her ways."

The cheery mood died whenever seven destroyer droids rolled out of the gates, surrounding them. Zelina stood on her spot on the reek, her violet lightsaber humming as she stared at each destroyer in turn. "I think seven is a little bit of overkill, don't you think?" she asked.

Suddenly, to Zelina's surprise and absolute joy, lightsabers suddenly activated all around the arena. She looked at both Anakin the other three with a grin. Droids came flooding out one end of the arena the same time that a mass of Jedi came from the other end, and Anakin urged the reek to break through the destroyers and head towards the Jedi.

Zelina gave a whoop of laughter. "It's about time they showed up!"

Anakin and Obi-Wan were both tossed lightsabers, and Zelina kicked off of the reek, landing neatly on the ground and eager to join the fray.

A cannon sent several Jedi and droids alike flying through the air and Zelina frowned. "Someone should really take care of those."

Anakin looked like he would join her, though after a glance over his shoulder he shook his head. "I have to go make sure Padme doesn't get into herself into any trouble; she's hijacking one of the Geonosian's chariots."

Zelina laughed as he sprinted off. "Good luck with that!"

Obi-Wan had already broken off in his own direction, and Zelina made her way swiftly over to the cannon. The Geonosians saw her coming and tried to blast her down, but she managed to avoid the blast every time. She slipped behind them with ease, cutting them down and turning around to find her next target. She pushed her wounded shoulder out of her mind, working off of the adrenaline that was coursing through her.

Blaster fire rang through the air, and Zelina was one of the brave ones that plunged right into the middle of the droid waves. Gradually she eased into a rhythm of lightsaber executions, her only thought to keep down as many of the droids pressing through from overwhelming the others.

"Padawan!"

Zelina was startled by the familiar voice, and she pulled away from the middle of the skirmish she had been in, turning with a grin to see her master Ur-Sema approaching. It was good to see her face, and it sent a wave of comfort through her to see her master in such good shape.

"Master! I didn't know you were here!" Zelina called as she drew closer.

Ur-Sema placed a hand on Zelina's shoulder with a soft smile. "I had to see that you were alright. However I cannot stay. I have to go through the catacombs to see if we can stop this flow of droids from coming."

Zelina nodded. "I understand Master. I'm glad you're alright. Be safe, okay?"

"I will be Padawan. Be careful."

"I will."

Zelina watched Ur-Sema disappear again before she returned to the fight. She could see Obi-Wan facing off with the acklay again, and Anakin and Padme had taken their stand by the fallen chariot. Obi-Wan seemed to be doing just fine on his own, so Zelina went over to Padme and Anakin, cutting down some of the droids that had the two pinned on the way.

"May I join this party? It seems like you two are having a lot of fun," she said as she slid into position at the end of the chariot.

Anakin chuckled lightly. "Good of you to join us."

"You know I have great timing," Zelina joked.

They weren't able to hold the position that much longer. The droids began to push the Jedi left back into the center of the arena. Dread was starting to worm its way into Zelina's stomach as she saw how little of the Jedi was left. She kept to Anakin's side, ready to make a last stand with him if she had to.

Suddenly the droids stopped firing, and they all stood at attention, glancing around in temporary confusion. The silence was deafening, and Zelina felt a pang in her heart as she watched Obi-Wan kneel down to see if one of the fallen Jedi was possibly still alive. He probably wasn't, but at least Obi-Wan still had the hope to check.

"Master Windu!" Dooku's voice boomed through the arena. "You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the Archives of the Jedi Order. Now, it is finished. Surrender, and your lives will be spared."

" _Never_ ," Zelina hissed under her breath.

"We will  _not_  be hostages to be  _bartered_  Dooku!" Windu stated firmly.

"Then…I am sorry old friend," Dooku said.

All of the droids went back to attack position, and Zelina looked at Anakin, something shifting inside her as she looked at him. They were probably going to die. This could very well be their last moments…and she didn't want to die living a lie. She took in every inch of him before closing her eyes to gather her courage.

"Anakin…"

Anakin glanced at her, freezing when he saw the look on her face. The very air around them seemed to still. "Yes Zelina?"

"Since we're about to die…there's…there's something I have to tell you first…"

She took a deep breath, holding his electric blue gaze. "I…"

The sound of aircraft reached the stands, breaking the spell. Startled, Zelina looked up to see what made the noise.

"Look!" Padme called out.

Zelina stared in shock at the aircraft that started to land all around them. She could see identically white clad figures inside, though her eyes zoomed in on the little green figure in one of the aircrafts.

Master Yoda had come to their rescue. And he had brought an army with him.


	16. Count Dooku

* * *

Zelina had just registered that they were saved when the blaster fire resumed once more.

She pulled herself from her thoughts, throwing all of her focus into deflecting the blaster bolts that suddenly crisscrossed everywhere. The Jedi all stayed in their tightly knit circle as the aircrafts—gunships by the looks of them—slowly began to land, white clad soldiers jumping out to add to the blaster fire in the arena. Zelina gave a sigh of relief as she was finally able to stop the constant movement, gripping her shoulder with a grimace as she followed Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme into the nearest gunship.

Once they had risen safely off the ground, Anakin put a hand on Zelina's shoulder as they all held on tightly to the handles dangling from the ceiling. "Are you alright?"

She gave him a small smile. "I'll live. I'm not going to lie; it hurts  _a lot_ , but as long as I'm careful I should be fine."

Obi-Wan leaned over with a frown, eyes narrowing on her shoulder. "When did you get that?" he asked suspiciously.

"A few hours ago," Zelina said vaguely.

Obi-Wan nodded towards the hole in her arm. "The fabric's not singed, so it's not a blaster bolt wound…a regular bullet I'm guessing? And considering I tracked you three to Tatooine I'm assuming it was from a Tusken Raider."

Zelina blushed, looking away. "Yes Obi-Wan."

"You're going to need more than a bacta pad on that. We'll have to get you properly treated when we get out of here. Until then, you're right, you'll have to be careful."

Zelina met his gaze once more, smiling softly when Obi-Wan asked no more questions. "Of course. That's what I planned on," she said lightly.

The gunship hit turbulence, and their conversation was pushed aside. "Hold on!" Obi-Wan shouted over the roar of the engines. Zelina tightened her grip on the handle, glancing around at the others as they sped away from the arena. Blaster bolts continued to fly through the air as the battle raged on.

"Aim right above the fuel cells," Anakin told the gunners. Their next shot hit home, resulting in a raging inferno.

"Good call my young Padawan!" Obi-Wan said with a smile. Anakin returned with a small smirk, nodding in acceptance of the compliment.

Instead of landing like the other gunships were currently doing, their gunship pushed forward beyond the battle.

"Attack those federation starships, quickly!" Obi-Wan ordered to the soldiers.

More explosions followed suit, though Zelina focused on taking the time to rest herself, feeling drained after all of the exertion she had just put herself through. Anakin glanced at her. "How are you holding up Zee?"

"I'm looking forward to some well-deserved rest, how about that," she replied wearily. He chuckled lightly.

"You'll get your rest, you've just got to last a little longer," he encouraged.

"Copy that," she mumbled.

The crash of another starship caused dirt to fly everywhere, and Zelina scowled, covering her eyes as she tried to keep any more sand from blinding her. "Reason five thousand on why to hate sand," she grumbled.

"You're just full of optimism today, aren't you Zelina," Obi-Wan said with a smirk.

"Of course Obi-Wan. Always."

As the sand cleared, Obi-Wan seemed to notice something. "Look over there!" he called out.

All of their gazes centered on Count Dooku, obviously making his escape.

"It's Dooku!" Anakin exclaimed out loud. " _Shoot him down!_ "

"We're out of rockets sir," the pilot informed him.

"Follow him!" Anakin and Zelina said at the same time, though Anakin sounded much more exasperated then Zelina.

"We're going to need some help!" Padme added, shouting to be heard over the engines.

"There isn't time!" Obi-Wan returned. "Anakin and I can handle this. Zelina can too if she's up to it."

"With pleasure," Zelina said in a dangerous voice, eyeing Dooku's retreating form.

Dooku's escorts turned around to come up behind their gunship, and the sound of their fire ripped through the air.

"It looks like he's decided to send us a gift," Zelina exclaimed bitterly.

One of the blasts hit home, and the gunship lurched. Zelina slung her arm out in a desperate attempt to catch Padme, failing miserably as she tumbled out of the gunship.

" _Padme!_ " Anakin screamed, running to Zelina's side, his gaze glued to Padme's unmoving figure even as it rapidly disappeared from view. " _Put the ship down!"_

"Anakin, don't let your personal feelings get in the way!" Obi-Wan scolded him. Anakin continued to stare in Padme's direction as Obi-Wan turned back to the pilot. "Follow that speeder!"

"Lower the ship!" Anakin repeated angrily.

"I can't take Dooku alone! I need you! If we catch him we can end this war right now!" Obi-Wan shouted at him over the sound of heavy fire and the engines. "We have a job to do!"

"I don't care, put the ship  _down!_ "

"Anakin, he's right!" Zelina added, grasping his wrist. He shrugged her off.

"You will be expelled from the Jedi Order!" Obi-Wan shouted at him.

"I can't leave her!" Anakin shot back.

"Come to your senses! What do you think Padme would do if she was in your position?" Obi-Wan finally said.

Anakin looked away, refusing to meet Obi-Wan's eyes and breathing heavily. He had hit home. "She would do her duty," he finally answered gruffly.

Obi-Wan simply turned away, ending the discussion there. Zelina, however, latched onto Anakin's arm again.

"She's going to be okay Anakin, I promise, alright? There weren't any enemy troops down there with her, and there was a clone that fell out with her too," she said quietly.

Anakin shook his head. "We shouldn't leave her behind, we shouldn't! Zee, she wasn't moving!"

"Do you really think a fall that small onto sand would really beat her out Anakin? I'm sure she was just stunned. She'll be fine Ani, relax."

"How can you tell me to relax after everything that's happened?" he shot back.

"Because if you don't start thinking a little clearer we're probably going to find ourselves in a really bad spot Ani. Just trust me please? Let's focus on getting Dooku, then afterwards we'll go and make sure Padme's well taken care of. Deal?"

Anakin eyed her for a few moments. "Deal," he finally said quietly. Zelina clasped his shoulder gently.

"Don't worry Ani, she'll be fine, I know she will."

He said nothing more for the rest of the trip, and they all waited in silent anxiety as they drew closer to the hanger that Dooku had disappeared into. Zelina ran her hand through her hair a few times, doing her best to calm her sudden nerves as they glided to a stop on the landing pad. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and she raced off of the gunship, quickly making their way inside after Obi-Wan gave the soldiers an order to stay put.

Dooku was getting ready to leave as they entered, all three of them activating their lightsabers before Obi-Wan and Zelina slowed to a well-controlled walk, Anakin settling for an impatient pace.

"You're going to pay for all the Jedi that you killed today Dooku," Anakin snarled. Zelina's grip tightened and loosened rhythmically on her lightsaber as she stared in tense anticipation at Dooku.

"We'll take him together," Obi-Wan said quietly. Anakin, however, seemed to have a different plan, and Zelina felt a wave of Anakin's pent up emotions break though at the same moment.

"No, I'm taking him now!" Anakin shouted, lunging himself at Dooku before either of them could react.

"No Anakin, no! No!" Obi-Wan shouted, but it was too late. Dooku unleashed a deadly stream of Sith Lighting at Anakin, sending him flying into the wall before finally stopping his assault.

"Anakin!" Zelina shouted. She could see the smoke rising off of Anakin and only felt relief when she saw him move, even if it was a slight movement. Both she and Obi-Wan returned their attention back to Dooku, much more weary.

"How's the shoulder?" Obi-Wan muttered to her.

"Bearable," Zelina responded as they both raised their lightsabers, cautious as they approached Dooku.

"As you see my Jedi powers are far beyond yours. Now; back down," Dooku warned them both. He unleashed a second volley of Sith Lightning at Obi-Wan and Zelina flinched, though she immediately relaxed as Obi-Wan deflected the lightning with his blade. She filed it away in her mind to ask Ur-Sema to teach her the technique sometime in the future. If she lived that was.

"I don't think so," Obi-Wan responded.

Dooku pulled out his own lightsaber, igniting the blade as he held both of their gazes. Zelina did her best to ignore her shoulder, shoving it to the back of her mind as she kept her attention fully focused on Dooku.

Obi-Wan moved forward first, and Zelina came at the Count from the opposite side as their lightsabers moved in a flurry of purple, blue, and red light. She kept her swings to simple one armed actions to save any exertion on her left shoulder for more dire situations, as well as took care not to get in Obi-Wan's way. She refused to let her mind wander to Anakin, who she knew was still curled up in pain over in the corner, and she refused to let her mind travel back to the arena, where she knew her master was still creeping through the catacombs below the arena. She kept her thoughts on the mindless rhythm of the fight, chanting softly to herself in her mind.

_Slash, parry, duck, spin, slash, parry, duck, spin…_

They broke apart for a moment, and Obi-Wan took in a quick gasp of air, re-gathering himself.

"Master Kenobi, you disappoint me! Yoda hold you in such high esteem," the Count taunted, and Zelina noticed he was trying to cut her off from Obi-Wan. She pulled tighter towards Obi-Wan, refusing to leave his side. The Count executed another quick burst of attacks, and Zelina was caught off guard, flying backwards with a Force Push from Dooku as he locked blades with Obi-Wan and engaged him once more.

"Surely you can do better!" the Count taunted again. Zelina scrambled to her feet to rejoin the fight as the two struggled against each other in their locked blades, staring each other down intently. In two quick movements Dooku suddenly landed two effective blows, one on Obi-Wan's arm and the other on his leg, rendering Obi-Wan helpless as Obi-Wan fell to the floor. The next moment Zelina rammed into Dooku with her bad shoulder, knocking Dooku off balance. She sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, grabbed her arm with a grimace. Dooku came at her, but she deflected his blade at the last moment.

A familiar and welcome presence joined her side.

"It's about time you decided to join the land of the living," Zelina quipped.

"It looked like you might need some help," Anakin responded gruffly, cutting in to stop the next blow that had come to descending towards Zelina.

"Brave of you boy," Dooku said, holding Anakin's gaze. "I would have thought you learned your lesson."

"I am a slow learning," Anakin responded coolly.

"Isn't that the truth," Zelina snorted.

"Is this really the time Zee?" Anakin asked as the three began to circle.

"Sorry Ani," she said sincerely.

Dooku eyed them both in turn for a moment in silence before he spoke again. "I admire your skill," Dooku said to Zelina. "It must have been rather difficult to smuggle your lightsaber past the Geonosians. However, I'm afraid that skill will not be so effective against me."

"Yeah, well, I'm not alone," Zelina replied easily, keeping her stance firmly beside Anakin.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan suddenly called. Zelina didn't even turn her head as Obi-Wan tossed Anakin his borrowed lightsaber. This was going to be an interesting fight.

"Shall we?" Zelina asked.

"Let's."

They all advanced on Dooku, three lightsabers against one. Zelina felt pretty good about their chances, even if they were just two Padawans. Anakin and she tended to be a formidable pair.

Anakin was a lethal blur, but somehow Zelina knew his every move, not missing a beat as she added in her own attacks. The pushed Dooku back, aiming to pin him against the wall and cutting off his space. Anakin made sure to take most of the pressure off of Zelina so that she could move comfortably and didn't have to use her injured arm.

Anakin left himself a little too open and Dooku managed to cut one of the lightsabers in half. Zelina was just glad that it hadn't been Anakin's hand. She spun to cover the side of the lost lightsaber, not missing a beat in the fight as Dooku started to push them back. They retreated for a moment to re-gather themselves, and the lights flickered as Anakin cut something out of their way. The three of them stood still in silent anticipation for the other to move as darkness graced the section of the room they were in. Anakin's face, twisted in concentration, was illuminated by his blue blade. Dooku's scowl was darkened by the blood red of his lightsaber, and Zelina's violet blade most likely gave away the worried look on her face.

Sparks flew from the cord Anakin had cut, and they all jumped into a flurry of action, their lightsabers flashing rapidly as they engaged once more. Anakin and Zelina were able to push Dooku back out to the middle of the room, back towards Obi-Wan, where they would have a better advantage again.

Dooku landed a harsh blow that jarred Zelina's bad shoulder and she stumbled from the shock. Dooku broke away in that moment from Anakin, obviously aiming to land a fatal blow on Zelina in her stunned state.

Her mind barely registered what happened next.

Dooku prepared to land a heavy blow from her left, but Anakin came out of nowhere, shoving her aside the same time he shouted out her name.

There was the flash of Dooku's blade, and Zelina watched in horror as Anakin was thrown back with a simple Force Push, now missing half of his right arm.

" _Anakin!_ " she shouted, gritting her teeth from the throbbing pain in her shoulder as she pushed herself to her feet.

Dooku heaved a deep sigh before he turned to Zelina again, who quickly moved to place herself between Dooku and the other two. She was the only one left standing now.

"You must be the most foolish, girl. You are injured and cannot win; lay down your weapon, and I will make your death swift," Dooku said, eyeing the violet blade Zelina held at the ready with both hands. She had her teeth grit against the pain.

"Never," Zelina responded shortly, keeping her eyes trained on Dooku. The old man sighed.

"Such a waste."

She knew she wouldn't last long, but she wasn't going to just step aside and let her friends die either.

Dooku was quick in his movements, bearing down mercilessly on her as she fought desperately to hold him off. She retreated as far back as she dared, taking care to avoid stepping on the other two as Dooku pushed her towards them.

Dooku tried a different tactic, lashing out at the incapacitated Anakin out of nowhere and catching Zelina off guard. She did manage to stop Dooku's blade before it could fall on her friend, her shoulder screaming in agony as she fought with all the strength she had left to shield Anakin from the deadly blow. She grimaced, her arms shaking, and the gaze of both of the other two behind her burning into her.

Dooku broke away the same time that her shoulder gave out. She stifled the cry of pain that threatened to burst out of her and managed to block two more attacks before Dooku overwhelmed her, her lightsaber clattering to the floor.

Zelina's hands flew to her throat as she suddenly found her airway closed off. She tried to push away the absolute terror that gripped her as she felt herself lifted off of the ground, her toes just barely kept above the floor. She tried to no avail to gasp in air, her head beginning to pound.

Air rushed back into her lungs the same time that she was thrown across the room, and she gasped in pain as she landed on her bad shoulder, tears of pain stinging in her eyes.

Unfortunately her pain didn't end there.

After a few more moments, Zelina felt as if every cell in her being had been set on fire, jerking from the agony of the Sith Lightning overcoming her. Her screams echoed around the room, her voice cracking several times. Suddenly it stopped, and she gave a soft gasp of relief, unable to move. She simply laid there, feeling the darkness of unconsciousness creep up on her as she felt herself go numb as she slowly felt herself shut down.

She distantly heard muddled voices as she slipped away. Her last thought being how grateful she was that since she was dying the last thing she would hear was Anakin saying her name.


	17. Recovery

* * *

Yoda had a certain knack for arriving in the nick of time.

Dooku had felt his presence just before the old Jedi Master hobbled into the room, and ceased his assault on the young Padawan. As Yoda hobbled into the room, Dooku spun around to face him. Yoda came to a stop, leaning forward on his gimmer stick as his eyes flickered over to the three injured Jedi on the floor.

"Master Yoda," Dooku said pleasantly.

"Count Dooku," Yoda responded calmly.

"You have interfered with our affairs for the last time," Dooku stated gravely. He raised his hand, the Force shifting around him.

Yoda let his gimmer stick fall to the ground as he raised a hand to stop the object Dooku had thrown in his direction. Almost effortlessly he tossed it aside, catching and tossing aside the second object Dooku threw at him just as easily.

The ceiling cracked and crumbled, falling swiftly down towards him. Though Yoda did not feel any fear. He caught the rubble easily with the force, throwing it aside as he had with everything else Dooku had sent his way.

"Powerful you have become Dooku. The dark side, I sense in you," Yoda said sternly, eyeing Dooku sharply.

"I have become more powerful than any Jedi. Even  _you_ ," Dooku said sharply, unleashing Sith Lightning on Yoda. Yoda tensed, mentally preparing himself as he stretched out his hand, absorbing the lightning with the tutaminis skill he had mastered long ago before firing it back at Dooku, who deflected it with his hand. Dooku tried again, though this time Yoda fully absorbed the Sith Lighting into himself.

"Much to learn, you still have," Yoda said smugly.

Dooku slowly reached for his lightsaber. "It is obvious that this contest cannot be decided by our knowledge of the Force; but by our skills with a lightsaber," Dooku said slowly.

Yoda watched Dooku closely as he activated his own lightsaber. Dooku moved first, but Yoda moved much faster, coming head on at Dooku in a blur of green. He jumped around the tall man, using his small height to his advantage as he fought Dooku mercilessly.

Yoda launched himself around Dooku repeatedly before they finally came to a standstill, their lightsabers locked. "Fought well you have, my old Padawan," Yoda said fiercely.

"This is just the beginning!" Dooku exclaimed. Holding Yoda's blade off with one hand, Dooku turned and crushed the base of one of the pillars in the room, causing it to begin to fall towards the wounded Kenobi and Skywalker. Immediately, Yoda broke away from the fight to stop the falling mass. The pang of fear from the two reached him clearly as he immersed himself in the Force, halting the pillar mere inches from the two Jedi. Yoda tossed moved it away from them, dropping it to the ground just behind their still forms. The commotion seemed to jolt Skywalker back to full consciousness, and Kenobi stirred, trying to move. Yoda sighed as Dooku's ship departed right behind him.

It would seem this war would not end today.

A moan of pain came from Skywalker as he regained consciousness. Yoda called his gimmer stick back to himself and slowly made his way over to the two Jedi that were currently trying to push themselves to at least sitting positions. Kenobi was on his feet first, leaning down to try and help his Padawan up despite his own injuries. However, it seemed Skywalker's mind was not on his own pain for long.

"Zee," he mumbled out. "Zelina!" he repeated a little louder, his eyes riveted to the spot where the girl lay motionless. Yoda switched course to approach the girl.

"Zelina!" Skywalker repeated, forcing himself to make his way towards Du'ahn. He reached out to the girl with his remaining arm, rolling her onto her back. Yoda quietly observed the deep concern and care that Skywalker had for the girl with a sharp eye. He didn't miss the mounting fear the boy had that he would lose her. He was doing nothing to hide, least of all control, the emotions that were currently spiraling out of control.

Skywalker attempted to reach for her with his other arm, and a look of bemusement flickered across his features as he remembered he had lost that arm. He turned his attention back to the girl, continuing to repeat her name in a seemingly never-ending chant as he tried to bring her back to consciousness. Kenobi came up behind the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Anakin, she can't hear you," he murmured. Yoda came to stand beside them, now able to see the fresh tears in Skywalker's eyes. Yoda sighed and shook his head. It seemed the boy was still unable to let go. It was a lesson he would need to learn soon if they were going to be plunged into a war.

"Back to the Temple for healing, we must bring you. In need of immediate attention, you are," Yoda informed them. Kenobi nodded, his eyes on Du'ahn, though Skywalker looked up at Yoda with desperation burning in his eyes.

"Will she be alright? She's going to be fine, right?" He asked Yoda frantically.

"Clear your mind you must, Skywalker. Calm yourself. Fine, she will be, if receives help she does."

"Anakin!"

The soft yet firm voice of Senator Amidala suddenly echoed across the room, and they all turned. Skywalker relaxed marginally and stood up as the Senator rushed across the room to him, throwing her arms around him. She pulled away from the tight embrace that suggested that they were more than just friends, her gaze immediately falling to Du'ahn. She did not bother to ask if they were all right, for it was obvious that they weren't. Instead, she immediately lent her help, ordering some of the clones that had followed her to help get Du'ahn and Kenobi out of the hanger.

"Bring them back to the Temple, we will. Receive training there, they will," Yoda informed her.

Amidala nodded, turning back to Skywalker and slowly leading him out of the hanger, speaking quiet, soothing words to him that no one else could hear.

* * *

Zelina was lost in darkness. She looked around her, trying to see through the nothingness that surrounded her. She gave a cry of exasperation as she stumbled through the darkness. The very air around her seeped of grief, misery, self-loathing, and anger, yet for the life of her she couldn't find the source.

A whimper behind her caused her to spin around, tensed for a fight. However, when she turned she only found a small boy, curled up in the fetal position off to her side. Zelina glanced around before she kneeled down in front of the boy, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey…shh, it's all right, you're all right, I promise you're all right," she told him softly.

The boy suddenly looked up at her and she froze in shock. " _Ani?_ "

The child gave her a strange look before he sniffled. "My name's not  _Ani_ ," he said stiffly. The tears shining in his eyes ruined his attempt to seem determined and unafraid.

Zelina shook herself. No, of course not, Anakin was twenty, not seven, eight, however old this little boy was. Still, she had yet to meet anyone that had her friend's unique eye color, and this child was the spitting image of him, with the same determined set to his jaw, the same blonde hair…

"Well then can you tell me what your name is?" she asked him softly.

"You  _know_  who I am!" The boy exclaimed in exasperation, the tears in his eyes growing yet somehow not spilling over. "I'm  _Luke_! You know me!"

His voice had cracked and Zelina frowned, pulling the mysterious boy—Luke—into her arms. "I'm sorry Luke, I'm sorry; I'm just confused right now…Can you tell me why you're crying Luke?"

Luke sobbed, his little frame trembling against her as his sobbing suddenly became out of control. "H-h-he was j-just trying t-to p-p-protect me, a-a-an m-m-mommy, a-a-a-a-and..."

"Shh, it's alright. Who Luke? Who was trying to protect you?" Zelina asked the child.

"He said yo-you would t-take care of m-me. H-he said I-I-I could trust y-you. You'll…you'll take c-c-care of m-me like h-he s-s-said, right?"

Zelina was startled as the boy looked up at her with his tear streaked face, his blue eyes shining from the tears. "Who Luke? Who said that? Can you please tell me?"

Luke curled into her with a sob, nodding his head towards a dark mass behind him before he curled closer to her. "D-d-daddy did."

Zelina stilled, looking up at the mass that Luke had indicated. She felt herself grow cold as she realized that the dark mass was a person: a male lying motionless. Whether he was dead or alive, she couldn't tell, though judging by what Luke had said, she feared it was the former.

"Stay right here Luke," Zelina muttered.

"Don't go, please! I don't want the scary guy to take you too!" Luke cried out. Zelina frowned.

"It'll be all right Luke, I won't, I promise; I just need to look, I'll be a meter away. I'm just going right there, I won't go any further. Just stay here."

"Please don't leave me," Luke whimpered.

"I won't leave you Luke, I promise," Zelina murmured. "Now stay here."

Luke reluctantly let her pry him off of her before Zelina slowly crept forward, reaching out towards the man. She couldn't see a face or anything else as he was lying face down. His dark robe covered almost everything. His black boots seemed military grade, and his dirty blonde hair was down to his shoulders. Only one black gloved hand was visible. A growing sense of fear worked its way through Zelina as she slowly reached her hand out to touch the man's shoulder.

Her fingers brushed the man's shoulder and Luke's shriek suddenly rang clear through the air, hurting Zelina's ears the same time that a pair of blazing golden eyes filled her vision. There was a rushing in her ears as Luke's screams continued, the darkness choking off her sight of everything but those golden eyes…

* * *

" _No!_ "

Zelina bolted upright in her bed, her breathing coming fast and heavy. Her shoulder protested and Zelina's hand flew towards it as she gasped, eyes squeezing shut against the harsh white light. The white didn't make any sense; everything had been dark and black, why was it all a startling white? Where was Luke? Where was the man? Where was the owner of those horrible golden eyes? How had Luke known her? Where was she now?

A hand grasped her shoulder, pushing her back down, and Zelina bucked instinctively, thinking that she was under attack.

"Zee! Zee! Zelina, it's me, calm down!"

Zelina sagged in relief at the familiar voice, collapsing against the bed that Anakin had tried to push her back down onto with a groan. "Anakin?"

She felt him shift closer towards her, probably leaning over her. "Yeah, I'm here Zee…I've been right here this whole time, I swear."

Zelina's eyes fluttered open again, adjusting to the light as she focused on Anakin's face, taking in his electric blue eyes. He smiled at her.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd wake up," he said lightly.

Zelina's mind suddenly recalled everything that had happened, shoving Luke and the man to the back of her mind immediately. "Geonosis! Dooku! Obi-Wan!" she said with a gasp, sitting up again. "Anakin, your arm—"

"Zee, you need to calm down," Anakin said gently, though she didn't miss the fact that he hid his right side from her inside his robes. "Dooku got away, Obi-Wan's all right, Geonosis was secured as far as I'm aware," Anakin informed her steadily.

"Well that's all fine and dandy Ani, but you still haven't told me about your arm. What were you thinking, you shouldn't have—"

"He was going to kill you Zelina," Anakin said sharply, cutting her off. "I'd much rather lose half my arm than lose you."

Before he could stop her, Zelina reached over and yanked back the folds of his robes, revealing the cybernetic arm that was attached. Anakin looked away from her with an aggravated sigh, but did nothing to stop her as she let her hand explore the wires and metal and any other component it was made of. She let her hand trail up to where the metal met his skin and she left her fingertips there at the sharp contrast of both cool metal and warm skin.

She could feel the deep pangs from Anakin through the Force, and realized just how much he was suffering from the loss of his arm. She tore her eyes away from the cybernetic arm, staring patiently at his face until he turned to face her again.

"I think it looks perfectly fine. You could even say it looks dashing," she said with a soft smile.

Anakin shook his head. "No, it's cold and inhumane. It's just going to serve to remind me what Dooku took from me and how badly we failed. It—"

"It's better than not having anything there at all," Zelina cut in. "You're not going to be missing half an arm for the rest of your life. And it will serve to remind me what you did for me and how much you care."

Anakin sighed. "Zee…"

Zelina smiled a little. "Let's talk about something else. Anything else."

Anakin looked away again to gather himself before he spoke again. "What were you dreaming about?"

Zelina frowned. "Pardon?"

"I know you were having a nightmare Zee, I'm no stranger to them. It's why I woke you up. You've woken me up rom mine, I figured I'd return the favor."

Zelina stared at him for a moment before she gave him a small smile. "Well…thank you for waking me up Ani."

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Anakin asked, propping his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. Normally for a dream as extreme as this one Zelina would decline, claiming it was nothing. But he was making such an effort to be there for her like she was always there for him that she found herself opening up almost immediately.

"It was…dark all around me, and there was a boy there. He looked a lot like you when you were younger; so much so I thought he  _was_  you, but he said his name was Luke. And he was scared, but I don't know what of…and then he started saying how his father had just been trying to protect him and his mother, and that his father said I would take care of him. He made me promise that I would take care of him and not let 'the scary man' take me too. And there was this man lying unconscious behind Luke. I didn't know if he was dead or alive so I went to check and then Luke started screaming and I couldn't see anything but these golden eyes an-and…"

As she stopped for a breath Anakin put a hand on her shoulder, attempting to sooth her. His expression was worried as he managed to meet her eyes. "And?"

Zelina shook her head. "And then you woke me up…I'm sure it was just a dream. None of it makes any sense to me…"

Anakin gave a small smile. "Yeah…perhaps it was just a dream."

Zelina snickered a little. "I think we need to work on how we change the subject. It's supposed to change to a cheerier topic, not a grim one."

Anakin chuckled as well. "Yeah, we do don't we? Though…Zee…there's something I've been wondering about…"

"What is it?" Zelina asked curiously.

"Back at the arena, you said that you had something you needed to tell me…what was it?" Anakin asked sincerely, holding her gaze.

Zelina went still for a moment, her mind kicking into overdrive. Why did he have to remember that? Why couldn't it just disappear into the background never to be remembered again? She scrambled for an excuse, pulling one out of thin air. "I don't know if you knew but…I know about you and Padme. I mean, I saw the kiss, and I overheard what was said that night by the fireplace…I know."

Anakin sat back in surprise, which confirmed her suspicions that he had not known that she had known. Though honestly, how could she not?

"I…I see. I didn't know that…" Anakin trailed off, unable to find words, and Zelina gave a thin smile.

"How about this: you're glad that there's another Jedi that knows so they can help you out, and so you're not alone in the secret?" Zelina offered.

Anakin smiled a little. "Yeah…we can go with that."

Zelina chuckled, changing the topic again. "So, what have I missed while I've been asleep?"

Anakin shrugged. "They've been scoping the arena for Jedi survivors and to recover those that were killed. Meanwhile, I've been in here with you, getting used to my new appendage. Then…" he trailed off suddenly, the air suddenly growing somber.

"Then what? What else has happened?" Zelina pressed him lightly.

Anakin fiddled with his new hand as he spoke. "The Council went to Padme…they told her she needed to end the relationship that developed between us…"

Zelina nodded slowly. "I see…" She paused, sensing there was more. "What happened?"

"She agreed…but we're not going to do it."

Zelina's eyebrows rose marginally. She halfway expected Anakin to defy the Council, though that didn't mean she wasn't a little surprised.

"We're going to marry when we go back to Naboo."

Zelina felt as if she'd been slapped across the face.  _Marry?_ Her head spun and her heart pounded. She felt like she was going to be sick; like she couldn't breathe.

"Zelina, are you alright?"

Zelina shook herself a little as she realized Anakin had put both hands—flesh and cybernetic—on her shoulders, trying to see if she was fine or if he needed to call a healer. She shook her head again, running a hand through her hair.

"I-I'm fine just…shocked. Really Anakin,  _marriage_? So soon? It hasn't been that long…" she said doubtfully.

Anakin shook his head adamantly. "I'm absolutely sure Zee. I love her with all my life; I'd do anything for her. This is the most I can give her, the best I can think of right now. I want to spend the rest of my life with her, I couldn't imagine it being anyone else."

His words came like heavy blows, but Zelina was able to play it off as shock before she finally gathered the ability to force a smile. "Well then…should I find a dress?"

This time it was Anakin's turn to raise his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well if you really think that I'm going to miss my two best friends' wedding…"

Anakin grinned, hugging her as tightly as he dared with her injured shoulder. "Thank you Zelina! Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

_And you have no idea how much this hurts_ me _Ani…you have no idea how much of myself I'm sacrificing for you to be happy._

_I wish you did._

_I wish I wasn't so kriffing self-less._

_I wish you were mine. Not hers._


	18. The Storm

* * *

They were at Varykino. Zelina stared numbly at the pale blue dress that was spread out on the bed. It was a light satin fabric, a sheath style dress, and the sleeves were petite off the shoulder straps. She would love to put it on…under any circumstances other than this.

There was a light rap on the door and Zelina jumped. "Come in," she called softly.

She was surprised when Padme walked in, shutting the door behind her immediately. "Padme," Zelina said in light surprise.

Padme crossed the room quickly, coming to a standstill in front of Zelina. "Zelina. How are you?"

"I'm all right," Zelina replied gently.

Padme put a gentle hand on Zelina's arm, having her sit on the bed beside her. "Are you sure? When Anakin said you were going to come I was actually rather surprised…"

Zelina looked away, chewing on the inside of her cheek and absentmindedly fiddling with her padawan braid. "I couldn't miss my two best friends' wedding," she whispered.

Padme had kept her hold on her arm, and still did not let go. "Zelina, I know that you love Anakin too, and I wanted you to know that if you don't want to do this, if it's too hard for you, then you don't have to."

Zelina shook her head. "No, I want to. I want to be here for you two. I want to be here for him. Besides you I'm going to be the only support he has in this because of how secret this will have to be. I'm going to support him all the way."

Padme sighed, looking down for a moment before she tugged lightly at Zelina so that she would look at her. "Zelina…before any of this goes any further…I need to ask you something."

Zelina cocked an eyebrow, watching her curiously. "Yes?"

"Zelina, I want your permission to marry Anakin. I want to know that you are truly fine with this. If you aren't, if you say so, then I won't marry him Zelina. I will step down and you can tell him how you feel and we'll see how it goes from there. I know that you love him Zelina and I just can't marry him without asking your permission first, it would feel so wrong. And if you say no I will respect it and back down, I promise I will."

Zelina stared at her in shock for a moment, trying to process what she was saying. "Wha—Padme, no, no! I mean…I-I do love him and…and yes this is hard for me but…" she trailed off, trying to gather her wits before she spoke again. She planted herself firmly facing Padme, looking her straight in the eyes. "Padme. I love Anakin with every fiber of my being, and I wish that he felt the same way; but he doesn't. He loves  _you_. I know he does. From what I've heard and seen, from what he's told me…he loves you as much as I love him. He's chosen  _you_. If he didn't have you, I think that is what would really destroy him. He  _needs_  you, he's happy with you. I could never live with myself if I came between you two  _knowing_  how much you mean to him. And…I love him enough that I am willing to let him go so that he can be happy. Padme, you go on and marry him. He loves you, and if you didn't marry him, if you backed out now…it would break his heart. Please, don't let my feelings come in-between you two. I never spoke up about my feelings anyway; I kept them locked away. And it would be even harder for me and him to hide a relationship than you two; we'd both be constantly under the supervision of other Jedi, there would be no private moment for us, we couldn't get away with it. You two do have a chance. Go on Padme; marry him, I won't stop you."

Her words hung heavy in the air for a few moments as both women soaked in the information that was now out there between them. Finally, Padme slowly nodded.

"Thank you for telling me Zelina. I needed to hear that. And I'm sure that you needed to say it…are you sure that you want to go through with this? You don't have to be here, you don't have to go through this…"

Zelina nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm going to be here for you two. I couldn't possibly miss this."

Padme sighed before she stood up. "All right Zelina. I need to go get ready now but…thank you so much. You know this means a lot."

Zelina nodded again. "I know. That's why I'm doing it. It's what I need to do…"

Padme smiled lightly at her before she quietly turned and left the room. Zelina, now alone, sighed, running a hand along the fabric of the dress. "I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it. To the end…no matter what Ani…no matter what."

* * *

The sound of the Naboo holy man buzzed in Zelina's ears. She couldn't really hear what he was saying, even if she had tried. The pounding of her heart and her thoughts were too loud to hear much else. Surely 3PO and R2, standing right beside her, could hear them both.

Padme was stunning, and Anakin…he radiated a glow of warmth and happiness. The setting sun added a beautiful last touch to their wedding. It was all very bittersweet to Zelina, though this time…

This time she could allow herself to cry.

It was easy to pass the tears off as silent tears of joy. All she had to do was swallow the pain and smile at how happy they were.

Their vows floated towards her, and Zelina closed her eyes.

_I've loved you since we were children Anakin. I've loved you even when I've seen your darker side, when I've seen what you're capable of. I've loved you despite your imperfections, and I've been here with you since day one. I've never left your side. I would do anything for you Anakin because I love you. I would lay my life down for you. And I know that this isn't going to go away. But because I love you, I have to let you go. You're happy with Padme. You love her, you've chosen her. And because I love you…I won't stand in the way. As long as your happy, I'll be happy. I could never be happy if I knew I had come between you and someone you loved. I could never be selfish like that when it comes to you. I love you…so I'm letting you go…even if it hurts. Even if it feels like I'm dying on the inside._

The vows were finished, and Zelina watched as Anakin and Padme shared a passionate kiss. It was done. He was hers now. He was married to Padme.

_How can such strong love feel so uplifting, yet so suffocating at the same time_ , Zelina found herself wondering. She stood off to the side, crying silently in what appeared to be joy as Anakin and Padme reveled in their marriage. While in all reality, she was crying for what she had just lost.

* * *

Thankfully, they returned to the Jedi Temple after one night on Varykino. For Anakin's sake, Zelina wished they could have spent a little longer so that he could spend more time with Padme, though at the same time it was a huge relief to be away. She could relax a little now, and she didn't have to worry about any pain that would come from witnessing Padme and Anakin's relationship. But she wouldn't forget it, that much she was sure of. The fact that Anakin was now married would sit heavily at the front of her mind every day of her life. She would never be able to even find out what it was like to kiss him now.

Zelina smiled when she saw Obi-Wan standing off by the large window as they made their ways towards their quarters. They met each other halfway, and Obi-Wan smiled slightly at each of them in return. "How are you two feeling?" he asked.

"Perfect," Anakin said with a smug smile.

"Fine," Zelina said. She wondered if the two could tell that her smile was forced. Maybe they could. If they did, they didn't say anything about it.

"That's good. I have the feeling that we will all need to be at our best for what's to come," Obi-Wan said softly.

Zelina nodded. "Yes, we probably will…" She grew silent for a moment, her thoughts wandering elsewhere. "Obi-Wan, has Ur-Sema come back yet? Have you seen her anywhere?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, I don't believe I have. Was she on Geonosis?"

Zelina nodded. "Yes, she was. She said she was going below into the catacombs."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "Well, I am sure that she is fine Zelina. Master Du is a very capable Jedi you know."

Zelina smiled a little. "I'm very well aware that she is Obi-Wan. I am her Padawan."

Obi-Wan laughed. "I guess you would be an expert then."

Zelina chuckled. "Well I'm just glad we're all here in one piece."

Obi-Wan snickered. "Yes, I was sure that acklay wasn't going to leave without some piece of me, but I got off without a scratch."

"I don't want to hear it Obi-Wan, I had that kimogila  _and_  I was injured. You guys all had it easy compared to me."

"I know; I haven't forgotten your declaration in the arena."

"Good, because it's true."

Anakin chuckled. "I see why you're so amused by Obi-Wan and me bickering now Zelina. This is very entertaining."

Zelina was the first to spot Master Windu and Master Yoda making their way towards them. She sighed quietly to herself.

"I wonder if one of us already has another mission," she mumbled under her breath. "What a great vacation."

Yoda hobbled up to Zelina, leaning forward on his gimmer stick. "Padawan Du'ahn. Speak with you, we must."

"Looks like you're the lucky winner," Anakin muttered in her ear. He was probably smirking. Zelina shot him a dirty look before she let Windu and Yoda lead her away from Obi-Wan and Anakin. To her surprise, they didn't even bother to lead her to the Council Room. They simply pulled her aside, out of earshot.

Zelina finally noticed the somber expression on Yoda's face. She had no way to tell the difference with Windu, but there almost seemed to be…pity in his eyes. And Yoda seemed mournful almost.

"Padawan Du'ahn. Grave news, we have received," Yoda started.

"We've just been informed…that Master Du was found in the catacombs below the arena," Windu continued.

For a moment, Zelina's heart soared in relief. Then Master Windu tossed the last stone that brought her world finally crashing down on her.

"We're sorry for your loss."

Zelina stood in shock. No, they were just joking, this wasn't real, this wasn't happening. This was all a huge misunderstanding.

They didn't stop talking.

"We don't know who…or what killed her but…we are bringing her body back to give her a proper funeral. You're being reassigned to Aayla Secura," Windu said, his voice wafting through to Zelina through the haze of her pain.

Zelina could feel Yoda's probing eyes on her, but she couldn't look at him. She couldn't look at anyone. She couldn't breathe. She needed to get away.

"T-t-thank you for telling me Master Windu. Master Yoda. I'll…I'll be in my quarters," Zelina whispered.

Without waiting to hear any more, Zelina turned on her heel and bolted for the door to the quarters she shared— _had_  shared—with Ur-Sema. She shut the door behind her as quickly as she could before bolting into the safety of her room where she could escape the world and finally break.

* * *

Anakin saw Zelina suddenly make a break for it away from the two Council Members, as well as sense the grief coming off her in waves. The light expression he had on his face vanished immediately as he shared a worried glance with Obi-Wan. They didn't even have to say a word as they both made their way over to the two Council Members. Obi-Wan was the one who spoke.

"If you don't mind me asking Masters, what's going on?" Obi-Wan asked.

Windu sighed, though Yoda was the one who answered. "Perished under the catacombs, Padawan Du'ahn's master did."

Anakin didn't wait to hear another word.

A pit of dread had lodged in his gut as he turned around and bolted for Zelina's quarters. His heart was pounding so loud he hardly heard Obi-Wan behind him calling his name. He blatantly ignored him. Zelina had already lost so many people, and he was afraid what she would do if she was left alone.

Because of all the times he had visited her, Anakin knew the code to her quarters, punching it in immediately. He didn't wait for Obi-Wan as he blasted through the door, making a beeline for Zelina's room. He could hear her broken-hearted sobbing before he even opened the door.

"Zelina?" Anakin asked cautiously as the door slid away. He didn't even get to register that she was in the room before a blond mass tackled him with a cry.

"Anakin!" Zelina sobbed, burying her face in his chest. She clutched at his tunic as she sobbed, and Anakin felt part of his heart break. She had been through too much, and it hurt him to see her in so much pain. Gently he put a hand on her back, rubbing soothing circles to try and ease her pain or calm her down.

"It's all right Zelina…I'm here…"

* * *

Zelina held to Anakin as tightly as she could. He was her last lifeline in the galaxy right now. She couldn't let go; she feared if she did let go she would lose him too. In a way, she already had.

She could feel the void of suffering trying to drown her in its depths, trying to claim her, and for once she didn't fight it. She let the tears flow.

She sobbed for the loss of her father. She sobbed for the loss of Shmi, her second mother. She sobbed for the loss of her master, of Ur-Sema. She sobbed for the loss of Anakin, for never being able to tell him how she felt before it was too late. It was too much to have happened in such short of time. She couldn't take it, she couldn't; it was too much for her to handle.

"It's alright Zelina…I'm here…please don't cry."

Zelina clutched Anakin tighter, letting his presence wash over her. She found peace in having him there with her, and her crying decreased marginally. But she still didn't want him to leave. She couldn't stand to be alone. She needed him right now.

"Please don't leave me too," Zelina whispered into his tunic.

He didn't even pause to think twice. "Never Zelina. I'm right here."

* * *

Obi-Wan arrived on an interesting scene. Zelina was clutched to Anakin, sobbing uncontrollably. The first thought he had was of sympathy. He knew the pain she was feeling right now. In fact, she had been there with him when he had gone through the same thing. He refused to be detached the Jedi way in this moment. Instead, he approached the two, putting a gentle hand on Zelina's back as he came to stand beside the two. Anakin looked at him with an expression that Obi-Wan was sure he would never forget. It seemed Zelina's pain hurt Anakin as much as it hurt her.

Both of them soothed the girl, Anakin allowing her to cry on him, until eventually she fell asleep.

* * *

The funeral was at sunset the next day, just as Qui-Gon's had been at sunset. Though Ur-Sema was buried in a tomb, not burned on a pyre. Zelina stood between Anakin and Obi-Wan as she looked on the funeral with an emotionless expression on her face. However, beneath the surface, her mind was ablaze with thoughts and emotions. Only the two behind her, the two she had counted on for support since she had found out, could possibly be aware of what she was feeling. But from here on out she would not cling on to them for support. No, she was fueled by something that scared her as much as it empowered her. Now, she could understand the feeling that had overcome Anakin at the Tusken Camp to a degree. Her master had been taken from her, the last straw she could take with everything she had been through in the past week. The murderer had taken Ur-Sema's lightsaber, not even having the decency to leave her belongings untouched. Instead, they had pilfered everything valuable or of use from her before leaving her body in the mud and water.

Zelina swore to herself, as she watched Ur-Sema's tomb lowered into the ground, that she would make her murderer suffer. She would make them pay for what they had done. They would not get away with their crime. When she got her hands on them, she would make them pay. They would die by her hand, and no one was going to stop her.

She would kill them, or die trying.

She would have her revenge.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of The Oncoming Storm.
> 
> Now, these friends will find themselves pushed into the storm in:
> 
> In The Thick Of Battle.


End file.
